Colombia has withdrawn its earlier statement condoling deaths in Pakistan following India’s Operation Sindoor, after Congress MP Shashi Tharoor expressed strong disapproval, saying there could be no moral equivalence between terrorists and those defending their nation.
Tharoor, who is leading a multi-party parliamentary delegation on a global outreach mission, raised the issue with Colombian authorities during a visit to the country. Colombia’s Vice Foreign Minister Rosa Yolanda Villavicencio confirmed that the contentious statement had been formally retracted and that a new one would be issued.
“The Vice Minister very graciously mentioned that they have withdrawn the statement that we had expressed concern about, and that they fully understand our position on the matter which we really value,” Tharoor told news agency.
Colombia’s Villavicencio added, “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.”
Operation Sindoor was launched by Indian forces in response to the Pahalgam massacre, where 26 people — mostly tourists — were gunned down at point-blank range. The Resistance Front, a Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) affiliate operating out of Pakistan, claimed responsibility for the attack.
In an earlier statement, Colombia had expressed concern over the loss of life in Pakistan. However, the Indian side argued that such a statement blurred the crucial difference between counter-terror operations and acts of terrorism.
“We’re very pleased to learn that the statement has been withdrawn,” said Tharoor. “We are also pleased that you, as representatives of the people of Colombia, are determined to stand with us for our sovereignty, for peace in the world, and for peace in the Indian subcontinent.”
BJP MP Tejasvi Surya, who is also part of the delegation, echoed Tharoor’s sentiments. “There is a difference between tourists being killed and terrorists being neutralised. You cannot create an equivalence between the two,” Surya told the media.
He added that the Colombian authorities “saw merit in our arguments” and were “gracious enough” to reconsider their earlier position. “They also expressed full sympathy and understanding with India’s stance.”
The seven-member delegation led by Tharoor is part of India’s official diplomatic effort to brief 33 countries on the motives and outcomes of Operation Sindoor. The delegation is currently on a five-nation tour and is expected to visit the United States next.
Tharoor has been sharing regular updates from the trip and had taken issue with Colombia’s original statement soon after it was made public.
He emphasised that the Indian operation was a “legitimate response” to a heinous terrorist act and that such contexts must not be ignored in international reactions.
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