A high-level all-party Indian parliamentary delegation, led by Shiv Sena MP Shrikant Eknath Shinde, arrived in Abu Dhabi on Thursday and held key meetings with UAE leadership to discuss the significance of Operation Sindoor and reaffirm India’s uncompromising stance against cross-border terrorism.
The UAE is the first stop in a broader four-nation diplomatic outreach by the Indian delegation aimed at building international consensus and support following the Pahalgam terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir, in which 26 people lost their lives.
According to a press release from the Embassy of India in Abu Dhabi, the delegation met with UAE leaders and media representatives to underscore the importance of Operation Sindoor—a measured and precision military response by India to the April 22 terror attack on tourists in Kashmir—and to spotlight India’s enduring battle against terrorism sponsored from across the border.
The Indian MPs held a high-level meeting with Sheikh Nahyan Mabarak Al Nahyan, UAE’s Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence. Sheikh Nahyan expressed heartfelt condolences for the victims of the Pahalgam attack and affirmed the UAE’s solidarity with India in the global fight against terrorism. "India and the UAE will tackle terrorism together. The UAE will always stand by India," said Sheikh Nahyan during the interaction.
The UAE had been among the first countries to unequivocally condemn the Pahalgam terrorist attack. Top UAE leaders—including President Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan—had earlier conveyed their condolences directly to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar via phone calls.
Delegation Composition and Purpose
The delegation includes prominent parliamentarians and experts: MPs Bansuri Swaraj, E.T. Mohammed Basheer, Atul Garg, Sasmit Patra, Manan Kumar Mishra, BJP leader Surendrajeet Singh Ahluwalia, and former Ambassador Sujan Chinoy. The visit is focused on reinforcing India’s diplomatic messaging around Operation Sindoor and exposing the destabilizing tactics employed by Pakistan.
The delegation engaged in detailed discussions with Dr. Ali Rashid Al Nuaimi, Chairman of the Defence, Interior & Foreign Affairs Committee of the Federal National Council, and other senior Emirati parliamentarians. They emphasised that Operation Sindoor was a precise, proportionate, and non-escalatory response targeting terror infrastructure across the border.
Dr. Nuaimi, echoing India’s concerns, noted, “The India-UAE relationship extends beyond trade and culture—it also encompasses security and strategic interests. Terrorism is a threat to all of humanity, and the international community must act decisively now.”
In a separate engagement, the Indian delegation met Dr. Jamal Al Kaabi, Director General of the UAE’s National Media Office, where they addressed Pakistan-sponsored misinformation campaigns. The delegation presented verifiable evidence exposing false narratives and propaganda aimed at destabilizing India’s internal harmony.
Delegation leader Shrikant Shinde also gave an in-depth interview to The National, UAE’s leading English daily, laying out India’s longstanding struggle against cross-border terrorism and how Operation Sindoor marks a new era in India’s counter-terror doctrine, shaped by Prime Minister Modi’s decisive leadership.
Community Outreach and Strategic Engagements Ahead
The day concluded with a community interaction session involving members of the Indian diaspora in the UAE. The delegation acknowledged the diaspora’s contributions to India’s global image and commended their commitment to values of tolerance, unity, and pluralism amid growing disinformation attempts aimed at sowing social discord.
“The resilience and unity of our diaspora is a pillar of India’s soft power abroad. You represent the very spirit of our Constitution,” said a delegation member during the interaction. On Friday, the delegation is scheduled to participate in closed-door strategic dialogues with leading UAE-based think tanks and policy experts in Abu Dhabi and Dubai to further articulate India’s regional security concerns and seek support against transnational terrorism.
Operation Sindoor was launched by India in response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, which resulted in 26 civilian casualties. The operation involved precision strikes on terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK). India also responded effectively to subsequent provocations from Pakistan, making it clear that any act of terror would invite a firm and calibrated military response.
The all-party delegation’s UAE visit marks a significant step in India’s diplomatic strategy to garner international support and cooperation in its continued fight against cross-border terrorism.
Also Read: MPs set off for Op Sindoor outreach to Japan, Southeast Asia, UAE
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