India Criticises Colombia's Response to Operation Sindoor Terror Strikes
| 2025-05-30
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor addressed the media in Bogotá, Colombia, on May 29, 2025.
India expresses disappointment over Colombia’s reaction to Operation Sindoor, emphasising its right to self-defence after the Pahalgam terror attack.
India has voiced concern over Colombia's reaction to its recent counterterrorism operation, with Congress MP Shashi Tharoor expressing disappointment at Bogotá’s condolences for Pakistani casualties, rather than support for victims of terrorism in India.
Mr Tharoor, who is leading a multiparty delegation to Colombia, addressed the media in Bogotá on Thursday, explaining India’s stance following Operation Sindoor—an airstrike campaign launched by India on 7 May 2025 in response to a deadly terrorist attack in the region of Pahalgam.
The Pahalgam attack, which occurred on 22 April, claimed 26 lives and was quickly claimed by The Resistance Front, a group India identifies as affiliated with the Pakistan-based militant organisation Lashkar-e-Taiba. In the wake of this, India conducted precision strikes against nine identified terror launchpads in Pakistan-administered territory, followed by targeted assaults on military infrastructure used by Pakistan’s armed forces.
‘A right to self-defence’
Speaking in the Colombian capital, Mr Tharoor conveyed India’s frustration with Bogotá’s initial reaction. “We were a little disappointed in the reaction of the Colombian government, which apparently expressed heartfelt condolences on the loss of lives in Pakistan after the Indian strikes, rather than sympathising with the victims of terrorism,” he said.
“There can be no equivalence between those who dispatch terrorists and those who resist them. There can be no equivalence between those who attack and those who defend,” he added. “We are only exercising our right of self-defence, and if there is any misunderstanding here on this core, we are here to dispel any such misunderstanding.”
India’s delegation to Colombia is part of a broader diplomatic outreach to explain its position on counterterrorism efforts following the Pahalgam incident.
Operation Sindoor and aftermath
Operation Sindoor marked a significant escalation in India’s counterterrorism posture. Indian Air Force jets struck multiple targets identified as terror launchpads in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir on 7 May. In the days that followed, further strikes targeted 11 Pakistani airbases after what New Delhi described as “failed attempts by Pakistan” to attack Indian military positions between 8 and 10 May.
Mr Tharoor said these actions were in direct response to the lack of accountability in Pakistan following the April terror attack. “When this happened, the world rose up to condemn the terrorist attack, but that was as far as it went,” he said. “Nobody was arrested, and there was no attempt at any prosecution.”
He added that images of Pakistani military officials attending the funerals of individuals listed on international sanctions lists illustrated the extent of state complicity. “That is the extent of complicity that we are seeing between the terrorists and those who finance, guide, train, arm, and equip them,” he said.
Diplomatic context and Colombia’s China ties
India’s remarks come amid deepening ties between Colombia and China. Earlier this month, Bogotá formally joined China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), signalling a strategic shift in its economic policy. The BRI is a global infrastructure development strategy led by Chinese President Xi Jinping, aimed at enhancing China’s trade and geopolitical influence, particularly in emerging economies.
Mr Tharoor acknowledged the BRI’s growing presence in Pakistan through the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a vast network connecting western China to the Pakistani port of Gwadar. He described CPEC as “the single largest project in China’s Belt and Road Initiative,” while noting concerns over the nature of Chinese military support to Pakistan.
“China supplies 81 percent of all Pakistani military equipment. Much of it is not for defence but for attack,” Mr Tharoor said. He added that while India respects the rights of sovereign nations to pursue development partnerships, it objects to those that indirectly support cross-border terrorism.
‘Shared experiences of terror’
Invoking Colombia’s own history of dealing with insurgency and violence, Mr Tharoor appealed for greater understanding. “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.
The Congress MP expressed hope that global partners, including Colombia, would more clearly distinguish between nations combating terrorism and those providing sanctuary to militant groups. “We certainly hope that other governments will tell those who provide safe haven and protection to terrorists to stop doing that. That would be really helpful, whether in the Security Council or outside it,” he added.
Broader implications
India’s statements reflect its growing impatience with international responses that it perceives as insufficiently firm against terrorism. In recent years, New Delhi has increasingly emphasised the principle of pre-emptive self-defence in line with international norms, particularly in the face of attacks it attributes to militant groups operating from Pakistani territory.
The diplomatic rift with Colombia is relatively unusual, given the typically neutral bilateral relations between the two nations. Analysts suggest that India’s assertive messaging may be aimed not only at Colombia but also at the broader international community, encouraging a clearer stance against terrorism in South Asia.
While no official response has been issued by Colombia following Mr Tharoor’s remarks, the situation may prompt further diplomatic engagement between the two nations as India seeks to reinforce its narrative around Operation Sindoor.
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