Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, leading an all-party parliamentary delegation to the United States, firmly reiterated India's stance on dialogue with Pakistan, emphasizing that there can be no talks "with a gun pointed at our head."

Speaking at the National Press Club in Washington, Tharoor clarified that while India is open to dialogue with Pakistan, such engagement is impossible as long as cross-border terrorism persists and hostile actions continue from the Pakistani side.

Tharoor used a vivid analogy to illustrate India's position: "if your neighbour unleashes his Rottweilers to bite your children and then says let's talk, you think he's going to talk to them until he either unleashes those Rottweilers or locks them up in a kennel or puts them to sleep? It's as simple as that. 

You're not going to talk to people who are pointing guns at your temples. It's not going to happen". This analogy underscored India's demand for a cessation of hostile acts, particularly terrorism, as a prerequisite for any meaningful bilateral engagement.

Addressing the role of the United States, Tharoor stated that Washington has come to understand India's clear position on this issue. He dismissed claims that US trade diplomacy played a critical role in averting conflict between India and Pakistan, noting that during the recent escalation, international calls—including those from the US—were focused on de-escalation, but trade was never discussed. Tharoor emphasized that India's actions were purely retaliatory in response to terrorist attacks and that India was not interested in prolonging the conflict, only in defending itself.

Tharoor also discussed Operation Sindoor, India's military response to the Pahalgam terror attack, highlighting its effectiveness in targeting terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

He noted that while terror camps can be rebuilt, India’s message is clear: any further attacks will be met with decisive retaliation. He stressed the importance of global understanding of both the immediate and potential future consequences if Pakistan fails to control terror elements on its soil.

The all-party delegation’s visit to the US was characterized as an effort to enhance understanding and clarify India's position, rather than to negotiate specific outcomes or seek concrete actions from the US. 

Tharoor stated, "We’re just saying, this is our position, we want you to understand, and if you have any questions, we’ll answer them, but that’s it. We’re not asking them to do anything other than to understand our point of view, to express their solidarity and to stand with us if it happens again". He made it clear that India’s expectation is for the international community to recognize its right to self-defence and to appreciate the context of India’s actions in response to terrorism.

Tharoor’s remarks in Washington reinforced India’s uncompromising stance on not engaging in dialogue with Pakistan under the threat of terrorism, highlighted the rationale and execution of Operation Sindoor, and clarified that the purpose of the US visit was to foster understanding, not to solicit intervention or negotiation from the US or other international actors.

Agencies