NEW DELHI, India – The highly anticipated discussion on Operation Sindoor is set to commence next week in the Indian Parliament, with the Lok Sabha beginning the debate on Monday, July 28, followed by the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday, July 29. This announcement was made by government officials on Wednesday, despite strong demands from the Opposition for the crucial discussion to start immediately, with parties highlighting that 56 hours of parliamentary time remained in the current week. Both Houses have allocated 16 hours each for the discussion, which is expected to span two days.
Government managers reiterated that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who embarked on a tour to the UK (July 23-24) and Maldives (July 25-26) on Wednesday, will be present during the parliamentary proceedings for the debate. Officials clarified, on condition of anonymity, that the debate will be conducted as a special discussion rather than under any formal resolution, allowing for a broader and less restrictive exchange.
The Rajya Sabha’s Business Advisory Committee (BAC) convened on Wednesday under the leadership of Deputy Chairman Harivansh. Key attendees included BJP president and Leader of the Upper House JP Nadda and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju. Opposition representatives present were Derek O’Brien (Trinamool Congress), Sanjay Singh (Aam Aadmi Party), Tiruchi Siva (Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam), and Jairam Ramesh (Congress).
When the Opposition pressed the government about utilizing the remaining parliamentary time this week, the government cited the Prime Minister’s international engagements as the reason for delaying the debate until Monday.
During the BAC meeting, Derek O’Brien suggested that the government should consider debating other pressing issues this week. The Opposition expressed particular keenness on discussing the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Review (SIR) in Bihar, an exercise that has drawn significant attention due to its potential implications for voter eligibility and citizenship. However, sources indicated that government functionaries remain reluctant to debate an issue that they claim does not fall under the purview of their direct legislative actions. The SIR in Bihar is a comprehensive revision of electoral rolls, aimed at ensuring all eligible voters are included and ineligible ones excluded, but it has faced criticism for potentially disenfranchising marginalized communities and being seen by some as a proxy for a National Register of Citizens (NRC) exercise.
As Kiren Rijiju sought the Opposition’s cooperation to allow retiring members to deliver their farewell speeches, Jairam Ramesh reportedly inquired whether former Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar would also get a chance to give a farewell speech. Dhankhar, who was also the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, had recently resigned from his post on July 21, citing health reasons, a move that stirred considerable speculation and debate. According to functionaries, the senior ministers present did not provide a direct reply to Ramesh’s query.
Last week, at an all-party meeting, Rijiju had publicly stated, “We are open to discuss important issues such as Operation Sindoor and the Pahalgam terror attack. These issues are of great importance to the nation. The government will never shy away from discussion.” Regarding any potential statements from international leaders like the US President on these matters, Rijiju had added, “When we start discussing the matter, we will make a statement. Whether it is the US President or anyone, I can’t give any reply now. When there is a discussion, a reply will be given.”
The government is expected to leverage the debate to highlight the perceived success of Operation Sindoor, including the demolition of terror infrastructure in both Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and Pakistan. They are likely to emphasize how Operation Sindoor has established a “new normal” in India’s fight against terrorism. Operation Sindoor was initiated on May 7, 2025, as a calibrated military response to a terror attack on tourists in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, on April 22, 2025, which claimed the lives of 26 civilians. The operation involved precision strikes against terror infrastructure across the Line of Control and deeper inside Pakistan, utilizing indigenous high-tech systems and demonstrating inter-service cooperation.
Conversely, the Opposition aims to use the debate to question the Centre over repeated claims by the U.S. of brokering a ceasefire between India and Pakistan. They also intend to scrutinize what they term an “intelligence failure” leading to the Pahalgam terror attack. In the all-party meeting on Sunday, several Opposition parties, including Congress, Samajwadi Party, Left parties, NCP (SP), and Shiv Sena (UBT), had specifically sought a debate on Operation Sindoor. NCP leader Srikant Shinde had also suggested a discussion on the matter.