
US: All-party delegation attends Ambassador's Dinner, holds constructive discussions with Senator Chris Van Hollen
In a post on X, Former Envoy Taranjit Singh Sandhu said, 'Delighted to meet so many old friends and supporters of India-US partnership at Ambassador's dinner.'
https://x.com/SandhuTaranjitS/status/1931326158035173569
Sharing insights from the meeting with Senator Chris Van Hollen, BJP MP Tejasvi Surya said that discussions were held on Operation Sindoor and the tragic Pahalgam terror attack. He wrote on X, 'Had a productive meeting with Senator @ChrisVanHollen, where we discussed the tragic Pahalgam attack and India's Operation Sindoor. The Senator expressed deep sympathy for India and reaffirmed that the U.S. stands firmly with India in the fight against terrorism.'
https://x.com/Tejasvi_Surya/status/1931189311376175233
The details of the meeting were previously furnished by the Embassy of India in the US. The Embassy wrote on X, 'The Indian parliamentary delegation led by Dr. @ShashiTharoor had a productive meeting with Senator @ChrisVanHollen, member of the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee. The delegation briefed him on the heinous terrorist attack in Pahalgam, discussed India's subsequent Operation Sindoor, and put forth India's firm resolve to counter cross-border terrorism in all its forms. The Senator sympathized with the victims of repeated terror attacks in India, said that stands with in the fight against terrorism, and expressed support for India's right to defend itself.'
https://x.com/IndianEmbassyUS/status/1931088016161804734
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor is leading the all-party delegation which includes Shambhavi Chaudhary (Lok Janshakti Party), Sarfaraz Ahmed (Jharkhand Mukti Morcha), G M Harish Balayogi (Telugu Desam Party), Shashank Mani Tripathi, Tejaswi Surya, and Bhubaneswar Kalita (all from the BJP), Mallikarjun Devda (Shiv Sena), former Indian Ambassador to the US Taranjit Singh Sandhu, and Shiv Sena MP Milind Deora.
This diplomatic effort forms part of India's global outreach following Operation Sindoor, launched on May 7 in response to the April 22 terrorist attack in Pahalgam by Pakistan-sponsored militants that claimed 26 lives and injured several others.
Subsequently, the Indian Armed Forces carried out targeted strikes against terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir, resulting in the deaths of over 100 terrorists linked to groups such as Jaish-e-Mohammed, Lashkar-e-Taiba, and Hizbul Mujahideen. (ANI)
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Mint
4 minutes ago
- Mint
Prashant Kishor, Jan Suraaj founder, sustains rib injury during roadshow in Bihar's Arrah
Jan Suraaj founder and renowned poll strategist-turned-politician, Prashant Kishor, on Friday sustained a rib injury during a roadshow in Arrah following he leaned out of his vehicle to greet supporters, reported ANI. Earlier in the day, Prashant Kishor reached Arrah's Veer Kunwar Singh Stadium to address a public meeting as part of the 'Badlaav Yatra'. A large crowd had gathered outside the venue to greet their leader, and the commotion led to pushing and jostling, which resulted in the injury, the report added. The Jan Suraaj founder was supposed to arrive at the public meeting at 3.30 pm, however, reached around 6 pm. He reportedly experienced severe pain in his ribs after the injury and was taken to a private hospital without addressing the gathering. In the meantime, Bhojpuri singer Ritesh Pandey and former IPS officer Jaiprakash Singh on Friday joined the Jan Suraaj Party in the presence of its founder Prashant Kishor. Welcoming them into the party, Kishor said, as PTI quoted, "We deliberately chose a day when Prime Minister Narendra Modi is visiting Bihar and will try to ensnare the people with his big talk". Singh is a resident of Saran district, who had risen to the ADGP rank in Himachal Pradesh cadre and took VRS after 25 years of service. Citing the reason, he said, as quoted by PTI, "Because I realised that the Jan Suraaj was out to create history in my home state". On 17 July, Kishor slammed Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, claiming that his recent promise of 125 units of free electricity is nothing but a publicity stunt. He added that Nitish Kumar will go, and Bihar will see a new CM after November. "After 20 years of remaining in power, today, when Nitish Kumar is giving a lollipop of 125 units free electricity, no one is going to believe him. Today, the major issue is the Smart Prepaid Meter and incorrect billings. It is certain Nitish Kumar will go, and Bihar will see a new CM after November," said Prashant Kishor.
&w=3840&q=100)

Business Standard
4 minutes ago
- Business Standard
US designates TRF as foreign terrorist organisation over Pahalgam attack
India's diplomatic efforts received a shot in the arm on Friday with the US designating The Resistance Front (TRF), a proxy of Pakistan-based terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), as a "foreign terrorist organisation" over the Pahalgam terror attack. The US designation of TRF could help put the terrorist outfit on the United Nations Security Council's (UNSC's) 1267 Committee, a key counter-terrorism mechanism that designates terrorists and their organisations. India welcomed the US decision as a 'timely and important' step, reflecting strong counter-terror cooperation between the two countries. India's Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said the TRF, a 'proxy' of Pakistan-based terrorist organisation LeT, has been involved in numerous terror-related activities, including the heinous attack on civilians in Pahalgam, for which it twice claimed responsibility. The US move could also help bolster the government's defence of its conduct of India's foreign policy in the Monsoon Session of Parliament, which begins on Monday (July 21). Opposition INDIA bloc parties have announced that they intend to ask the government questions over Operation Sindoor and India's foreign relations, especially with China. In a related development, and hours after the US proscribed the TRF, China on Friday called on regional countries to enhance counter-terrorism cooperation to safeguard regional security. In its statement on April 25, the UNSC had condemned the Pahalgam attack of April 22, in which terrorists killed 26 people, but China and Pakistan's objections made it drop references to the TRF and LeT from the statement. On June 23, India refused to sign a joint communique at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Defence Ministers' Meeting in China's Qingdao as it omitted the Pahalgam terror attack and did not explicitly address India's concerns over Pakistan-backed cross-border terrorism. Earlier in the day, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the US State Department is adding the TRF as a designated foreign terrorist organisation (FTO) and specially designated global terrorist (SDGT). He said it was part of Washington's commitment to countering terrorism and enforcing President Donald Trump's call for justice for the Pahalgam attack. Rubio said the TRF, a 'front and proxy' of LeT, claimed responsibility for the Pahalgam attack, killing 26 civilians, which was "the deadliest attack on civilians in India since the 2008 Mumbai attack conducted by the LeT'. '(The) TRF has also claimed responsibility for several attacks against Indian security forces, including most recently in 2024,' Rubio said. In a social media post, External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar said the US decision was a 'strong affirmation' of India-US counter-terror cooperation, was a 'timely and important' step, and that India has consistently emphasised the need for global cooperation in the fight against terrorism. The EAM said India remains committed to a 'policy of zero tolerance' towards terrorism, and will continue to work closely with its international partners to ensure that terrorist organisations and their proxies are held accountable. Jaishankar and MEA thanked Rubio. 'We acknowledge and appreciate the leadership of Secretary of State Marco Rubio in this regard,' the MEA said. 'Appreciate Secretary Rubio and the US State Department,' Jaishankar said. The TRF claimed responsibility for the Pahalgam attack but later backtracked as tensions soared between India and Pakistan. India's National Investigation Agency (NIA) identified TRF head Sheikh Sajjad Gul as the mastermind of the attack. Several Pakistani terrorist groups and individuals are listed under the UNSC's 1267 sanctions regime, which imposes asset freezes, travel bans, and arms embargoes. These include LeT, Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM), and Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD), along with key figures like Hafiz Saeed and Masood Azhar. The TRF emerged in Jammu and Kashmir after the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019. According to Indian intelligence sources, it has former Pakistani Special Service Group (SSG) commandos in its ranks. Other than the Pahalgam terror attack, sources said that it was involved in four major attacks in the past few years — the attack on pilgrims in Reasi in June 2024; on migrant construction workers in Z-Morh tunnel (also known as the Sonamarg tunnel) in Ganderbal in October 2024; the September 13, 2023 Kokernag encounter that left a colonel, a major and a deputy superintendent of police dead; and the July 8, 2020 attack on a BJP leader that killed him and two of his family members in Bandipora district. The attacks in Reasi and Ganderbal left 16 people, including seven pilgrims, dead and several injured. The TRF was founded in October 2019, with Sheikh Sajjad Gul as its supreme commander, Mohammad Abbas Sheikh as the founding chief, and Basit Ahmed Dar as the chief operational commander. Both Abbas and Dar, local terrorists, were eliminated by security forces in separate operations in the Valley on August 23, 2021 and May 7, 2024, respectively.


The Hindu
4 minutes ago
- The Hindu
Watch: Trump's warnings Are India-U.S. ties in trouble?
The Trump administration bowls another googly with threats of Russia sanctions. Given differences over tariffs, Operation Sindoor and the ceasefire, immigration and deportations… is the India U.S. relationship in trouble and will a mini trade deal fix it? Last week, we spoke about the problem between BRICS and U.S. President Donald Trump. But this week, India is facing some more direct ire from the U.S. – as U.S. lawmakers prepare a bill that would sanction Russia's biggest energy buyers, China and India, also Brazil, with 500% tariffs. What are India's choices and what events should we look out for? Script & Presentation: Suhasini Haidar Production: Shibu Narayan & Nivedita V