New York: In his signature eloquence, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor dismissed former US President Donald Trump’s assertions that Washington helped defuse tensions between India and Pakistan during the recent conflict. Speaking ahead of his multi-party delegation’s visit to the US, Tharoor set the record straight — India didn’t need persuading. Pakistan did.
“If there was any persuasion needed, it was on the Pakistani side,” Tharoor said. “We had already made it clear — we don’t want war. We want peace, progress, and development.”
“This Was Retribution, Not War”
Referring to the military action in Operation Sindoor, India’s retaliatory strike following the Pahalgam terror attack, Tharoor reiterated New Delhi’s measured stance. “From May 7th, we maintained that this wasn’t the beginning of a war. It was retribution against the terrorists — period,” he said. “Had Pakistan not reacted, there would have been no escalation.”
This measured yet firm response punctured the narrative Trump sought to build — that of a master negotiator preventing all-out war in South Asia.
A Diplomatic Showdown in Washington
Interestingly, Tharoor pointed out the curious timing of Pakistan’s diplomatic delegation visit to the US — almost simultaneously with India’s. While India had planned a multi-nation diplomatic outreach to inform global leaders about Operation Sindoor and clarify its motivations, Pakistan followed suit, announcing its own delegation to promote a “peace message.”
Leading the Pakistani mission is Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Foreign Minister and scion of the Bhutto family. But Tharoor couldn’t resist a diplomatic jab: “It’s no coincidence that they’ll be in Washington while we’re in Washington. Perhaps the world will be treated to a spectacle of dueling delegations.”
Aiming for the World’s Capitals
Tharoor noted that while India is reaching out to multiple nations, Pakistan is focusing on fewer, high-profile capitals — Washington, Brussels, and London. “That seems to be their strategy — fewer but more symbolic stops,” he said.
India, on the other hand, has adopted a wider approach, underlining its status as a regional and global player seeking to shape the international narrative beyond mere conflict.
On IMF Aid to Pakistan: “Help the Poor, Not Armies”
Shashi Tharoor also weighed in on the International Monetary Fund’s latest bailout to Pakistan, a move that raised eyebrows in Indian circles. While he expressed no objection to humanitarian aid, he drew a sharp line.
“If the funds are used to lift people out of poverty, why would we object?” he said. “But if the money is redirected to support terror networks or military aggression, then it’s not just unfortunate — it’s dangerous.”
A Message That Resonates
With one of his trademark rhetorical flourishes, Shashi Tharoor has once again positioned himself as one of India’s most articulate global voices — this time, shutting down any attempt to misrepresent India’s stand during one of its most delicate diplomatic moments.
“No one needed to persuade us,” he said. “We don’t chase conflict. We chase progress.”
As both Indian and Pakistani delegations touch down in Washington, all eyes will be on who tells their story more convincingly — and more credibly.
