An All-Party Parliamentary delegation from India concluded its three-day diplomatic mission to Saudi Arabia on Thursday, emphasising India’s unwavering stance against terrorism in the wake of recent cross-border attacks. Led by BJP MP Baijayant Panda, the delegation held extensive interactions with Saudi think tanks and the Indian diaspora as part of a broader global outreach initiative following India’s military response to the devastating April terrorist attack.
The delegation’s visit comes in response to the April 22 Pahalgam attack, where five armed terrorists killed 26 people, including 25 tourists and a resident, in one of the deadliest attacks in Kashmir in decades. The incident prompted India to launch Operation Sindoor, which the delegation described as establishing “a new benchmark in India’s fight against terrorism.”
During their Saudi visit, the Indian representatives met with Dr. Abdulaziz Sager, Chairman of the Gulf Research Centre in Riyadh, and Dr. Abdulmajeed Albanyan, President of the Naif Arab University for Security Sciences. The discussions focused on India’s three-decade struggle with cross-border terrorism and explored potential collaboration in emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence and quantum computing for counter-terrorism efforts.
The delegation emphasised that the Pahalgam attack was designed to undermine economic progress in Jammu and Kashmir and incite communal tensions across India. They highlighted how the nation’s unified response demonstrated India’s collective resolve against such threats, noting that all attempts to divide the country were met with popular resistance.
This Saudi Arabia mission represents part of a comprehensive diplomatic offensive, with seven All-Party delegations comprising 59 members visiting 32 countries to convey India’s zero-tolerance approach to terrorism. The initiative aims to build international support for India’s position while countering narratives that might justify terrorist activities.
The delegation’s engagement with the Indian diaspora in Saudi Arabia underscored the community’s role in India’s development and acknowledged Saudi Arabia’s consistent support in condemning terrorism. The visit reinforced the growing security cooperation between the two nations, particularly in areas of counter-terrorism and regional stability. The broader diplomatic campaign follows India’s military strikes against alleged terrorist camps across the border, marking what officials describe as a shift toward a ‘new normal policy’ in addressing cross-border terrorism threats.
