Washington DC, June 4 — Congress MP Shashi Tharoor delivered a sharp and nuanced response when asked by a US journalist whether India’s recent military operations against Pakistan were also intended as a warning to China.
Speaking at the National Press Club in Washington DC, Tharoor said:
“I do believe that what happened on the night of the 9th and 10th speaks for itself, and even more so, the immediate reaction of Pakistan the next morning to call off the conflict also speaks very vividly for itself, and maybe that’s the message the Chinese will have to look at.”
Tharoor went on to highlight the indirect involvement of Chinese military technology in the conflict:
“The fact that they (Pakistan) were using Chinese weapons and we were bypassing some of the Chinese radar defences, and the famous sort of Chinese network system — that’s supposed to be the great sort of Chinese ‘kill chain’ we read about in the newspapers… When India decided to bypass some of those threats and hit the airfields, I don’t think they’re worrying about who gets the message.”
With his characteristic wit, Tharoor concluded:
“They wanted to make sure that the Pakistanis got the message, and they got the rough end of what we were sending them, which they did.”
Background: Operation Sindoor and Escalation
India recently conducted a precision operation targeting nine terror hubs in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). While the Indian government has remained tight-lipped, Pakistan’s foreign minister Ishaq Dar claimed Chinese J-10C fighter jets were used to down five Indian aircraft, including Rafale jets.
China’s foreign ministry, however, denied involvement. Spokesperson Lin Jian said China was “not familiar with the matter” when questioned on the use of Chinese military hardware.
Bipartisan US Support for India
Tharoor is currently leading Group 5 of an all-party Indian parliamentary delegation on a diplomatic tour of the US. The group met top American lawmakers including House Foreign Affairs Committee (HFAC) Chair Brian Mast and Ranking Member Gregory Meeks.
Chairman Mast expressed strong solidarity:
“Every one of us strongly condemned the terrorist attacks that took place. There’s no room in this world for those kinds of attacks… When you are attacked, you have no choice but to respond.”
He added:
“We have a great friendship and partnership between our nations, and we see nothing but growth and expansion in the future.”
The delegation’s visit to Washington is part of India’s broader global campaign following Operation Sindoor, which includes stops in Brazil and Europe, to reinforce international support against terrorism and bolster India’s security concerns on the world stage.