Beyond Signatures
India’s recent trade diplomacy has produced an unusual paradox. New Delhi is negotiating or concluding trade agreements with a range of partners even as questions persist about what earlier agreements have actually delivered.
The European Union representatives in Belgium have unequivocally condemned the heinous attack in Pahalgam and expressed solidarity with India.
The Indian all-party Parliamentary delegation led by senior BJP MP Ravi Shankar Prasad, held a series of high-level engagements in Belgium with Members of the European Parliament (MEPs), emphasising India’s resolute stance against cross-border terrorism.
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The delegation’s visit to Brussels comes under India’s unprecedented diplomatic campaign to expose Pakistan’s sustained role in cross-border terrorism following the April 22 Pahalgam attack.
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In a diplomatic outreach following Operation Sindoor, the Modi government has formed seven multi-party delegations to inform different nations about Pakistan’s links to terrorism and India’s strong message of zero tolerance for terrorism in all its forms and manifestations.
The Indian all-party Parliamentary delegation led by senior BJP MP Ravi Shankar Prasad visited the European Parliament and met with MEPs from the Delegation for Relations with India, the Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET), and the Committee on Security and Defence (SEDE).
During the meetings, the Indian team provided a detailed briefing on the persistent issue of cross-border terrorism targeting India, particularly highlighting the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam and India’s measured and strategic response through Operation Sindoor.
The discussions at the Parliament also revolved around strengthening India-EU strategic cooperation in counter-terrorism efforts, while broader themes such as high-level diplomatic engagements and deeper parliamentary exchanges were also addressed.
Prasad emphasised the need for the global community to hold Pakistan accountable for sponsoring terrorism during a meeting with Christel Schaldemose, Vice-President of the European Parliament in charge of Asia.
“The Vice-President of the European Parliament heard us… We conveyed to her the situation in India about terrorism… We have requested some cost to the terror machine in Pakistan in terms of world aid. We have been deeply impressed by her love for India and the issues of humanity and democracy,” Prasad said following the meeting.
The meeting in Brussels was part of India’s wider diplomatic outreach aimed at mobilising international support in its fight against terrorism. The delegation also briefed the Vice-President on the recent terrorist attack in Pahalgam and reiterated India’s zero-tolerance policy against terrorism.
Echoing this, the Indian Embassy in Belgium and Luxembourg tweeted, “All-Party Parliamentary delegation had a productive and constructive meeting with Ms. Christel Schaldemose, Vice-President of the European Parliament in charge of Asia. A good opportunity to brief at the senior parliamentary level on the use of cross-border terrorism as an instrument of state policy to disrupt progress in Kashmir and communalise the situation. Condemnation of the heinous terrorist attack in Pahalgam and appreciation for India’s firm policy of zero-tolerance on terrorism.”
The meeting also focused on strengthening diplomatic ties and enhancing cooperation between India and the European Union on strategic issues. The delegation held discussions to deepen the partnership and explore collaboration on matters of mutual interest.
Leading the delegation as part of India’s broader global effort following Operation Sindoor, Prasad underlined the need for a “collective resolve” in the fight against terrorism, rooted in shared values of democracy, peace, and humanity.
After engagements with Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) from the delegation for relations with India, the Foreign Affairs Committee, and the Security and Defence Committee, Prasad described the interaction as “extraordinary.”
“There was unanimity in support for action against terrorism, and they were the first to convey solidarity to India,” he said. “India is a stabilising country, a big country, a democratic country, and there has to be a collective resolve in the fight against terrorism, for human values, democracy, and humanity. That was the essence of the discussions.”
The Embassy of India in Brussels in a statement said the delegation visited the European Parliament, where it engaged with members of the European Parliament (MEPs), including from the Delegation for Relations with India, the Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET), and the Committee on Security and Defence (SEDE).
The delegation briefed MEPs in detail about the cross-border terrorism directed against India, including the recent heinous attack in Pahalgam, as well as about Operation Sindoor and our policy of zero tolerance towards terrorism.
According to the Indian Embassy, “Taking India’s strong message against terrorism to the world, members of All-Party Delegation met with Members of European Parliament (MEPs) and discussed combating terrorism, including cross-border terrorism, global peace, and deepening of India-EU ties.”
“The EU side was briefed about the heinous Pahalgam terrorist attack and the calibrated and targeted response of India through Operation Sindoor, giving the message of zero tolerance to terrorism. MEPs expressed their solidarity with victims of the Pahalgam terrorist attack,” the embassy added.
The Indian delegation also engaged with some of Brussels’ prominent think tanks and strategic experts, exchanging views on the global terror landscape and New Delhi’s expectations from the EU in tackling such threats.
These discussions further reinforced shared views on the necessity of a coordinated global response to terrorism.
“During our visit to Brussels, my colleagues from the all-party delegation and I engaged in a comprehensive discussion on the scourge of terrorism, particularly cross-border terrorism targeting India. We deliberated on India’s counter-terrorism initiatives, notably including Operation Sindoor, with prominent think tanks in the region. Our interaction underscored a unified and unambiguous stance of zero tolerance towards terrorism,” Ravi Shankar Prasad said in a post on X.
The Embassy of India in Brussels in the statement said earlier on June 4, the delegation interacted with members of the Indian diaspora, who expressed their deep solidarity with India’s strong and principled stance against terrorism and its zero-tolerance policy. The delegation underscored the vital role of the diaspora in amplifying India’s voice on the global stage.
The Embassy also highlighted in its statement that the delegation also had a productive exchange of views with some of Brussel’s leading think-tanks and members of the strategic community. There was good appreciation of India’s stance on terrorism and Operation Sindoor, and exchange of views on India’s expectations of the EU.
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