Doha (Qatar): The all-party Indian parliamentary delegation, led by NCP-SCP MP Supriya Sule, departed from Doha for Johannesburg, South Africa on Tuesday (local time). This marks the second leg of their four-nation diplomatic mission, part of India’s outreach following the Pahalgam terror attacks and the subsequent Operation Sindoor.
During their visit to Qatar, the delegation engaged in extensive diplomatic and community outreach. According to a press release by the Embassy of India in Qatar, the delegation held productive meetings with Qatari officials, members of the Shura Council, government representatives, media professionals, academics, think tanks, and the Indian diaspora.
The delegation met with key Qatari dignitaries, including:
- Mohamed bin Abdulaziz bin Saleh Al Khulaifi, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs
- Abdulaziz bin Faisal bin Mohammed Al Thani, Minister of State for Interior Affairs
- Hamda bint Hassan Al Sulaiti, Deputy Speaker of the Shura Council
- Several other senior officials
They also participated in a round-table discussion with scholars and analysts from the Middle East Council for Global Affairs and met with editorial teams from prominent Qatari newspapers Al Sharq and Peninsula. An Indian community reception was held on May 26, where delegation members connected with expatriates.
During their engagements, the Indian representatives strongly conveyed India’s zero-tolerance policy towards cross-border terrorism and updated stakeholders on recent developments after the April 22 Pahalgam attack.
“The delegation shared that Operation Sindoor, conducted by India in response, was calibrated, targeted, and proportionate, demonstrating India’s commitment to countering terrorism without escalating tensions.”
The delegation further stressed the necessity of dismantling long-standing cross-border terrorism networks and eliminating distinctions between perpetrators and their enablers.
“The Qatar side emphasised its zero-tolerance policy against terrorism and stressed that terrorism must be condemned. The delegation appreciated the condemnation of the Pahalgam attack by the Government of Qatar and thanked the Qatari leadership for its support,” the statement read.
“It may be recalled that Qatar MOFA had stated on April 23, expressing strong condemnation of the attack in Pahalgam. Amir of the State of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani, and Prime Minister Modi had a telephone call on May 6. Qatar’s Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sheikh Mohammed bin Jassim Al-Thani, and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar also spoke with each other on May 7,” it further mentioned.
The delegation also provided media briefings, addressing questions from journalists on recent geopolitical developments.
In a community address, delegation members praised the Indian diaspora for upholding India’s core values of pluralism and unity, and for resisting divisive efforts aimed at destabilizing the country’s social fabric.
The delegation comprises MPs and officials from various political parties and institutions, including:
- Supriya Sule (NCP-SCP)
- Rajiv Pratap Rudy (BJP)
- Vikramjit Singh Sahney (AAP)
- Manish Tewari (Congress)
- Anurag Singh Thakur (BJP)
- Lavu Sri Krishna Devarayalu (TDP)
- Anand Sharma (Congress)
- V Muraleedharan (BJP)
- Former diplomat Syed Akbaruddin
Following their visits to Qatar and South Africa, the delegation will continue its tour in Egypt and Ethiopia.