Colombia retracts statement on Pak, backs India after Tharoor's disapproval

After Shashi Tharoor's intervention, Colombia withdraws its condolence for Pakistan deaths post-Operation Sindoor, aligning with India's stance on counterterrorism and regional security

Colombia has officially withdrawn its statement expressing condolences over deaths in Pakistan following India’s Operation Sindoor, after strong disapproval from Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, who is leading an all-party delegation to the South American country. The Colombian government will now issue a new statement that aligns more closely with India’s position on counterterrorism.

 

"The Vice Minister very graciously mentioned that they have withdrawn the statement that we had expressed concern about, and that they fully understand our position on the matter which we really value," Tharoor told reporters, standing alongside Colombia's Vice Foreign Minister, Rosa Yolanda Villavicencio.

 

Villavicencio affirmed Colombia’s renewed understanding: "We are very confident that with the explanation that we received today and the detailed information that we now have regarding the real situation, the conflict, and what happened in Kashmir, we can also continue the dialogue and be aware of what is happening."

 

'No equivalence between terrorists and victims': Tharoor

 

Following Colombia’s reversal, Tharoor reiterated his key message that there is "no equivalence possible between terrorists on the one hand and innocent civilians on the other". He said that Colombia’s initial statement overlooked the fundamental difference between those perpetrating violence and those defending their nation.   

 

  "We're very pleased to learn that that statement has been withdrawn as you've also mentioned, and we are also very pleased that you, as representatives of the people of Colombia, are determined to stand with us for our sovereignty, for peace in the world, for peace in the subcontinent of India and that you are very, very happy that this kind of dialogue will continue between our peoples and our representatives," he said.

 

Delegation’s efforts in Colombia

 

Former Indian Ambassador to the United States and BJP leader Taranjit Singh Sandhu credited the delegation’s detailed explanations for Colombia’s shift. "This morning we had a detailed interaction with the acting Foreign Minister and our leader and the entire team made specific points to them explaining to them the timeline which perhaps to an extent they might have missed out," Sandhu told news agency ANI.

 

Sandhu also noted Colombia’s growing importance as it is set to become a member of the UN Security Council soon.

 

Operation Sindoor

 

The delegation’s outreach follows the Pahalgam attack on April 22, in which 26 civilians were killed in a terrorist attack claimed by The Resistance Front, a Lashkar-e-Taiba offshoot based in Pakistan. India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7 as a counterterrorism measure.   

 

  Tharoor underscored that India’s actions were an exercise of its right to self-defence, drawing parallels with Colombia’s own struggles with terrorism. "Just as Colombia has endured many terror attacks, so have we in India. We have endured a very large number of attacks for almost four decades," he said.

 

Multi-party outreach mission

 

The Tharoor-led delegation, which includes lawmakers from across the political spectrum — Sarfraz Ahmad (JMM), G M Harish Balayogi (TDP), Shashank Mani Tripathi (BJP), Bhubaneswar Kalita (BJP), Milind Deora (Shiv Sena), Tejasvi Surya (BJP) — arrived in Colombia after visiting Panama and Guyana. Their itinerary in Bogota features meetings with Members of Congress, ministers, think tanks, and media representatives.

 

This delegation is one of seven multi-party groups tasked by India to explain Operation Sindoor to 33 countries following the terror attack.

 

India-Pakistan tensions

 

Tensions between India and Pakistan escalated sharply after the Pahalgam attack. India conducted precision strikes on terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir on May 7. Pakistan responded with attempts to target Indian military bases on May 8, 9, and 10. The hostilities de-escalated after talks between both sides’ Directors General of Military Operations on May 10, leading to an agreement to halt military actions.