in New York, May 24, 2025. PHOTO: X @IndiainNewYork
New York City [US], May 25 : Leader of the all-party delegation, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, in a speech at the World Trade Center, urged the world to not be indifferent to terrorism but to unite in solidarity.
He delivered the remarks while speaking to the media outside the 9/11 Memorial.
Tharoor said that the visit to the 9/11 memorial is a solemn reminder of how, just like the US, India has been subjected to terrorism. “We ourselves in India have been subject to the same wounds that you are seeing the scars of today in this very moving memorial. We have come in a spirit of solidarity, we have come at the same time on a mission.”
The delegation, which also met think tank representatives and high profile Indian Americans including Indra Nooyi, proceeded from NYC to Guyana, Panama, Brazil, and Colombia.
Tharoor said, “In these countries we are hoping to be able to explain to the world how important it is for all of us to stand together against the scourge of terrorism. Just as the US showed such resolution and determination in the wake of 9/11, so too our country has stood up against the forces of evil who attacked us on the April 22. We hope that a lesson has been learned by those who perpetrated this attack and by those who finance, train, equip, and direct them,” Tharoor said.
“But we want to communicate to the world that we will not be sitting quietly if this is repeated. We want the world to understand that this is not a time for indifference, but for mutual strength and mutual solidarity, so that we can all unitedly stand up for the values that the United States has always cherished- the values of democracy, of human freedom, of diversity, of coexistence of people of different communities, none of which sadly is on the agenda of those who conducted such attacks.”
Tharoor underlined that “Perpetrators of terror should indeed be brought to justice, and we are not going to stop our hunt for those who did this latest atrocity,” adding, “We need to think about where these people are based, where they have safe havens, where they are trained, equipped, financed, guided, armed, and often directly directed….to perpetrate these horrors, and they too should be accountable for what they have been doing.”
Expressing his views On the sanctioning of terror organizations by the UN, Tharoor, who served as Under Secretary General of the United Nations, said, “I think there are something like 52 individuals and organizations based in Pakistan that at one time or the other have been listed by the UN Sanctions Committee… There is something much more direct that needs to be done, and we are not going to confine ourselves only to listings, to diplomacy, to the production of international dossiers. We are also going to exercise our right to self-defense, which every country recognizes”.
Speaking about his expectations from the Indian diaspora, Tharoor expressed confidence in their abilities to influence and shape the public opinion.
“You are a very influential diaspora in this country. You are not just numerous. You are prosperous… You have an influential voice. You’re active in public life. You’re active in politics… We would like you to help sensitize public opinion and political opinion in this country about what is going on and how wrong it is, and certainly we would expect the diaspora to partake of the messaging that we are here to do… you are actually a force multiplier for us as well. We come and go, but you live here, and we want you certainly to please remind people around you of what the challenges are that India is facing”.
The Indian Consulate in a press release said the all-party delegation “also engaged with prominent think tanks, academic institutions, and members of the media in New York, highlighting the strategic ties between India and the United States and underscored collaborative efforts to tackle the evolving threat of terrorism.” Among them was former PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi, who is on the board of influential companies and organizations including Amazon, Foundation Board of the World Economic Forum, and World Justice Project.
The all-party delegation led by Indian National Congress Party MP Shashi Tharoor included Bhubaneswar Kalita, Bharatiya Janata Party; Milind Murli Deora of Shiv Sena; Shashank Mani Tripathi of BJP; Ganti Harish Madhur of Telugu Desam Party; and former Indian Ambassador to the US Taranjit Singh Sandhu.
The delegation’s goal is to project India’s national consensus and firm stance on combating terrorism in all its forms.
Earlier the same day, the all-party delegation paid their respects at the 9/11 memorial after their arrival in the US on Saturday, May 25. They were accompanied by India’s Ambassador to the US, Vinay Mohan Kwatra. The members paid tributes by offering white roses at the Memorial and folding their hands in respect.
Speaking about the 9/11 Memorial visit at the Indian Consulate, Tharoor said, “It was obviously a very moving moment for us, but it was also meant to send a very strong message that we are here in a city which is bearing still the scars of that savage terrorist attack in the wake of yet another terrorist attack in our own country.” He added, “We came both as a reminder that this is a shared problem, but also out of a spirit of solidarity with the victims… It’s a global problem, it’s a scourge and we must all fight it unitedly.”
The 9/11 Memorial is a tribute of remembrance, honoring the 2,977 people killed in the terror attacks of September 11, 2001 at the World Trade Center site, as well as near Shanksville, Pennsylvania, and at the Pentagon, plus to remember the six people killed in the World Trade Center bombing on February 26, 1993.
The Memorial is located on eight acres of the 16-acre World Trade Center complex, and the 9/11 Memorial is meant to be a place of remembrance and contemplation within the bustle of lower Manhattan.
The delegation, which is presently in the United States, will also visit Guyana, Panama, Brazil, and Colombia.
A total of 7 groups consisting of 8-9 members from various political parties have been selected by India to represent its stance of zero tolerance against terror and brief the representatives of other countries on Operation Sindoor.
Operation Sindoor was launched on May 7 as a decisive military response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack in which 26 people were killed.
According to the Indian government, Indian Armed Forces targeted terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir, leading to the death of over 100 terrorists affiliated with terror outfits like the Jaish-e-Mohammed, Lashkar-e-Taiba and Hizbul Mujahideen.
After the operation, Pakistan retaliated with cross-border shelling across the Line of Control and Jammu and Kashmir as well as attempted drone attacks along the border regions, following which, the government of India said, it launched a coordinated attack and damaged radar infrastructure, communication centers and airfields across 11 airbases in Pakistan. On May 10, an understanding of the cessation of hostilities between the countries was announced.
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