The all-party Indian parliamentary delegation led by Congress MP Shashi Tharoor met with Vice President of Guyana Bharrat Jagdeo on Sunday (local time), marking a significant diplomatic engagement in the global outreach following Operation Sindoor. The interaction underscored both Guyana’s support for India’s fight against terrorism and growing opportunities for strategic cooperation between the two nations.
Calling the meeting “phenomenal,” Shashi Tharoor praised Vice President Jagdeo for showing deep understanding of India’s position on cross-border terrorism and acknowledged him as “a good friend of the nation.” In his remarks to media, Tharoor stated,
“We came looking for understanding of our position. We found the understanding, but we also talked about larger issues in the relationship between our two countries.”
Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo had earlier voiced unequivocal support for India, stating that terrorism must be condemned universally and that perpetrators should be brought to justice.
Beyond counterterrorism, the meeting also focused on Guyana’s ongoing economic transformation, particularly in light of its massive oil and gas discoveries. Tharoor highlighted Guyana’s openness to Indian collaboration in sectors such as infrastructure, banking, and telecommunications, noting that:
“There was even an open invitation for Indians to participate in projects and bring Indian workers who are welcome to stay and work.”
With a population of just around 750,000, Guyana is looking to augment its workforce and leverage India’s development expertise. The Vice President’s invitation to Indian professionals and workers signals long-term cooperation in nation-building efforts.
The Indian delegation includes MPs from a wide political spectrum, symbolizing national unity on the issue of terrorism. Apart from Shashi Tharoor, the delegation comprises:
- Shambhavi Chaudhary (Lok Janshakti Party)
- Sarfaraz Ahmed (Jharkhand Mukti Morcha)
- G M Harish Balayagi (Telugu Desam Party)
- Shashank Mani Tripathi, Tejaswi Surya, Bhubaneswar K Lata (all BJP)
- Mallikarjun Devda (Shiv Sena)
- Taranjit Singh Sandhu, former Indian Ambassador to the US
The mission is part of India’s seven-team global campaign to counter Pakistan’s propaganda, reaffirm its zero-tolerance stance on terrorism, and brief key international stakeholders on India’s decisive military response through Operation Sindoor.
Launched on May 7, Operation Sindoor was India’s targeted military operation in response to the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, where 26 civilians were killed. Over 100 terrorists from groups like Jaish-e-Mohammed, Lashkar-e-Taiba, and Hizbul Mujahideen were neutralized by Indian armed forces in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir.
This growing partnership with Guyana, along with firm international messaging on terrorism, underlines India’s dual approach of global security cooperation and economic diplomacy.