India’s Retaliation Is A Message, Not A War: Shashi Tharoor Defends Operation Sindoor At Global Forum In Guyana

Georgetown: Amid heightened regional tensions following the Pahalgam terror attack, senior Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, speaking from Guyana, firmly articulated India’s strategic position on Operation Sindoor — a retaliatory military campaign launched after 26 Indians were killed in a brutal cross-border assault.

Addressing an international gathering, Tharoor clarified that India’s military strikes were not a prelude to war, but a “proportionate and measured response” to terrorism emanating from across the border.

“We made it absolutely clear to all concerned governments that India had no intention of initiating a war. Each strike was retaliatory. Each action was in response to what had been done to us,” Tharoor said, as quoted by The Hindu.

Operation Sindoor, launched on May 7, targeted nine terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu & Kashmir (PoJK). These strikes followed intelligence reports linking the Pahalgam attackers to banned terror outfits Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Taiba. According to Tharoor, the decision to strike was based on actionable intelligence and was designed to send a clear message: India will not remain passive in the face of terrorism.

Describing the strikes as “measured and non-escalatory,” Tharoor emphasized that New Delhi was actively engaged in diplomacy, communicating with international allies to avoid misunderstandings and prevent regional destabilization.

Tharoor also disclosed that tensions began to ease when Pakistan contacted India’s Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) on May 10, signaling a willingness to halt hostilities. “If Pakistan ceases hostilities, there will be no reason for retaliation. That’s what eventually happened,” he said, according to NDTV.

His remarks aimed not just at regional players, but also at the global community. “We are not afraid that these people would hit us again. But if they hit us again, they’re going to get it back worse,” he warned, drawing a sharp line against further provocations.

Invoking the words of Guyana’s President, Tharoor concluded with a broader appeal for balanced peacekeeping. “We want peace, but peace with strength — not fear. That’s the message we want the world to understand. Indifference is not acceptable either,” he said, underscoring India’s resolve to counter terrorism without compromising its diplomatic posture.