From Pro-Pakistan To Pro-India! Major Diplomatic Success For Shashi Tharoor-Led Team In Colombia

Last Updated:May 31, 2025, 01:06 IST

Colombia had previously issued a pro-Pakistan statement after India’s Operation Sindoor, which was disappointing to the Indian side

Tharoor credited Milind Deora, a fellow team member, for arranging the crucial meeting with former President Cesar Gaviria, who supported India’s anti-terrorism efforts. This support has significantly altered Colombia’s understanding of India's perspective. Pic/News18

India’s Operation Sindoor outreach has just achieved major success in Colombia. All-party Indian delegations are currently on a mission to inform the world about Pakistan’s role as a terrorist state and its attempts to harm India and its civilians. The teams are travelling around the world to emphasise that India has endured Pakistani aggression for the past four decades, with the recent attack in Pahalgam being a turning point. Led by former union minister Dr Shashi Tharoor, one team is presently in Colombia.

Colombia had previously issued a pro-Pakistan statement after India’s anti-terror strikes, which was disappointing to the Indian side. Tharoor addressed the media, expressing dissatisfaction with the Colombian government expressing solidarity with Pakistanis rather than the victims of terrorism. He stated, “We will tell our friends in Colombia that there is no equivalence between those who dispatch terrorism and those who defend against it."

The Indian delegation has successfully influenced the Colombian government’s stance. The Liberal Party, Colombia’s largest political party, is now set to condemn Pakistan’s terror policy and support India’s fight against terrorism. Tharoor credited Milind Deora, a fellow team member, for arranging the crucial meeting with former President Cesar Gaviria, who supported India’s anti-terrorism efforts. This support has significantly altered Colombia’s understanding of India’s perspective.

A source noted that this commitment from Colombia’s largest party has positively impacted subsequent meetings. Cesar Gaviria’s public statement compelled Colombia’s leftist, pro-China government to retract its earlier condolence for Pakistani deaths. Milind Deora’s connections were instrumental in changing Colombia’s perception of India.

Harish Balayogi, a first-time Member of Parliament from TDP, praised the meeting with Cesar Gaviria, emphasizing that it strengthened India-Colombia relations. A Shiv Sena Rajya Sabha MP also expressed gratitude to Cesar Gaviria for condemning Pakistan and state-sponsored terrorism on behalf of Colombia’s opposition.

The delegation includes diverse and experienced members like Dr Tharoor, Milind Deora, Tejasvi Surya, Harish Balayogi, and Ambassador Sandhu. Their collective efforts have been crucial in conveying India’s stance.

Colombia’s upcoming role as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council is strategically significant. BJP MP Tejasvi Surya highlighted this, noting that Colombia’s election would bolster the partnership and understanding of the security challenges India faces from cross-border terrorism. He also pointed out the potential for business and trade collaborations between the two countries, with several Indian two-wheeler companies already established in Colombia.

In a meeting with Colombia’s vice minister for external affairs, sources say that BJP MP Tejasvi Surya stated Colombia needs to understand the distinction between tourists killed and terrorists neutralised. “Both can’t be equalised. I narrated how this is the stated policy of Pakistan—to bleed India by a thousand cuts. This is not guerrilla warfare. This is state-sponsored terrorism, orchestrated by the Pakistan army and ISI," he reportedly said. Surya also elaborated that India was very disappointed with the Colombian reaction. India has huge investments in Colombia and hopes to take it further. Indians don’t want such a misunderstanding to come in the way of a future relationship, he said.

While most delegations will return on June 3rd, Tharoor’s delegation will continue their mission, with upcoming visits to Brazil and a three-day stay in Washington DC to meet key figures in the administration.

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