Congress MP Anand Sharma, as part of an all-party Indian parliamentary delegation led by NCP-SCP MP Supriya Sule, addressed the Indian community in Johannesburg on May 27, 2025.

Sharma underscored India's measured and targeted response to terrorism, highlighting that Indian forces acted with "utmost restraint" by focusing only on terrorist headquarters.

He clarified that India's actions were strictly against terror infrastructure and not directed at civilian or unrelated targets. However, Sharma noted that when Pakistan retaliated by attacking Indian air bases, India was compelled to respond forcefully to defend its sovereignty and security.

Sharma also drew attention to Pakistan's long-standing role in harbouring terrorists, referencing the extradition of a Mumbai attack perpetrator and the global awareness that Osama bin Laden was found in Abbottabad, Pakistan. He lamented that despite India's restrained approach, Pakistan failed to take corrective action and instead escalated the situation, necessitating a robust Indian response.

The delegation, which includes MPs from various parties such as Supriya Sule, Rajiv Pratap Rudy, Vikramjeet Singh Sahney, Manish Tewari, Anurag Singh Thakur, Lavu Sri Krishna Devarayalu, Anand Sharma, V Muraleedharan, and Syed Akbaruddin, reiterated India's zero-tolerance policy towards cross-border terrorism.

They emphasised that Operation Sindoor, India's response to recent terror attacks, was "calibrated, targeted and proportionate," reflecting India's commitment to countering terrorism without unnecessary escalation.

During the interaction, the delegation called for an end to differentiating between terrorists and their backers and urged the international community to dismantle the cross-border terrorism infrastructure that has targeted India for decades.

The South Africa engagement, which began in Johannesburg, will continue with meetings in Cape Town, including interactions with South African parliamentarians and government ministers, further reinforcing India's diplomatic outreach and its firm stance against terrorism.

Based On ANI Report