On May 27, 2025, Congress MP Anand Sharma spoke to the Indian community in Johannesburg as a member of an all-party Indian parliamentary mission headed by NCP-SCP MP Supriya Sule.
Sharma emphasized that Indian military used “utmost restraint” by concentrating solely on terrorist headquarters, underscoring the country’s methodical and focused response to terrorism.
He made it clear that India’s actions were not aimed at civilians or unconnected objectives, but rather only targeted terror infrastructure. However, Sharma pointed out that India was forced to react firmly in order to protect its security and sovereignty after Pakistan attacked Indian air bases in retaliation.
Using the extradition of a Mumbai attack culprit and the international recognition that Osama bin Laden was discovered in Abbottabad, Pakistan, Sharma also called attention to Pakistan’s historical role in harboring terrorists. He bemoaned the fact that Pakistan worsened the situation instead of taking corrective steps, despite India’s cautious attitude, adding that this called for a strong Indian response.
The delegation reaffirmed India’s zero-tolerance policy towards cross-border terrorism. Members of the delegation include Supriya Sule, Rajiv Pratap Rudy, Vikramjeet Singh Sahney, Manish Tewari, Anurag Singh Thakur, Lavu Sri Krishna Devarayalu, Anand Sharma, V Muraleedharan, and Syed Akbaruddin.
They emphasized that India’s reaction to recent terror assaults, Operation Sindoor, was “calibrated, targeted, and proportionate,” demonstrating the country’s will to combat terrorism without needless escalation.
The delegation asked the international community to demolish the cross-border terrorism infrastructure that has attacked India for decades during the meeting and demanded that there be no distinction made between terrorists and those who support them.
In order to further strengthen India’s diplomatic outreach and its resolute anti-terrorism posture, the South Africa engagement, which started in Johannesburg, will continue with talks in Cape Town, including encounters with South African government ministers and lawmakers.
