India’s anti-terror push goes global

New Delhi / Abu Dhabi / Tokyo, May 22: In a major diplomatic outreach following the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam that claimed 26 lives, India has launched a global campaign to build international consensus on its zero-tolerance approach towards terrorism, garnering strong expressions of solidarity from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Japan.

Multi-party delegations, part of India’s unprecedented initiative to dispatch seven parliamentary groups to 33 world capitals, are engaging with foreign governments and institutions to expose Pakistan’s alleged complicity in cross-border terrorism and to promote global cooperation against the menace.

In Abu Dhabi, a delegation led by Shiv Sena MP Shrikant Shinde held wide-ranging meetings with senior Emirati leaders including Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, UAE’s Minister of Tolerance, and Ali Rashid Al Nuaimi, Chairman of the Defence, Interior and Foreign Affairs Committee of the Federal National Council.

“Terrorism is a global threat. We, as an international community, must unite to devise strategies that ensure a safer future for all humanity,” Al Nuaimi said after meeting the Indian MPs.

He also underscored the deep strategic ties between the two nations, asserting that “the security of Indian nationals is non-negotiable.” The UAE leadership reiterated its commitment to stand “shoulder to shoulder” with India.

“We will tackle terrorism together. The UAE will always stand by India,” Sheikh Nahyan said.

India’s response to the Pahalgam attack – ‘Operation Sindoor’, which involved airstrikes in Pakistan and PoK – was highlighted by the delegation as “measured, proportionate, and non-escalatory.”

“The UAE was among the first countries to condemn the Pahalgam attack,” Shinde said.

He said that the delegation addressed Emirati concerns over misinformation campaigns, presenting factual evidence of Pakistan’s attempts to incite disharmony in India.

Apart from political leaders like Bansuri Swaraj, E T Mohammed Basheer, Atul Garg, and Sasmit Patra, the UAE-bound delegation included former diplomat Sujan R Chinoy and India’s Ambassador to the UAE Sunjay Sudhir.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, sharing updates from the UAE mission, said, “A nation united sends a strong message on combating terrorism.”

Simultaneously, in Tokyo, another Indian parliamentary delegation led by JD(U) MP Sanjay Jha met Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya, who condemned the Pahalgam attack and conveyed heartfelt condolences to the victims.

“Terrorism cannot be justified in any form,” Iwaya said, expressing Japan’s solidarity with India and appreciation for its restraint following the attack.

He reaffirmed Japan’s commitment to work with India and the global community in eliminating the scourge of terrorism.

Jha, accompanied by parliamentarians from across the political spectrum, including Salman Khurshid (Congress), Abhishek Banerjee (TMC), John Brittas (CPI-M), and BJP leaders Aparajita Sarangi and Brijlal, said that terrorism in J&K seeks to destabilise peace and development.

He urged Japan to support the UN Security Council Press Statement of April 25, which called for bringing to justice those responsible for the Pahalgam attack, including its financiers and organisers. The Japanese side, including former Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga and House Committee on National Security Chairman Takashi Endo, echoed strong support for India’s anti-terror initiatives.

The Indian MPs also interacted with prominent Japanese think tanks, where they received unanimous backing for India’s counter-terrorism efforts.

They later paid tribute to Mahatma Gandhi’s statue in Tokyo’s Edogawa district.

With delegations already dispatched to the UAE, Japan, Russia, and several European countries, India’s global diplomatic campaign marks a strategic escalation in its efforts to isolate Pakistan on the world stage.

“Our message is simple and resolute – India does not differentiate between terrorists and those who support them,” Jha said in Tokyo. “There is no space for ambiguity in the fight against terror.” As External Affairs Minister Jaishankar put it, “Great to see #TeamIndia taking our message of zero tolerance for terrorism to the world.”