The multi-party Indian delegation led by Ms. Supriya Sule, MP, Lok Sabha, concluded their visit to Qatar today evening. Qatar was the first leg of the four nation visit of the delegation planned following the April 22 Pahalgam terrorist attack, Operation Sindoor and the subsequent developments. In Doha, the delegation members held fruitful interactions with Qatari dignitaries at the Shura Council and the Government of Qatar, members of media, academia, think-tanks as well as the Indian community in Qatar.
 
2. Over the past two days the visiting delegation met H.E. Dr. Mohamed bin Abdulaziz bin Saleh Al Khulaifi, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, H.E. Sheikh Abdulaziz bin Faisal bin Mohammed Al Thani, Minister of State for Interior Affairs, Deputy Speaker of the Shura Council HE Dr. Hamda bint Hassan Al Sulaiti and several other Qatari dignitaries. The delegation members held a round-table discussion with the academic and think-tank community at the Middle East Council for Global Affairs. The delegation members also interacted with media, including with the editorial team of leading newspapers - Al Sharq and Peninsula. An Indian community reception was also held on May 26.
 
3. In various meetings, the Indian delegation conveyed India’s zero-tolerance policy towards cross-border terrorism and briefed about developments since the heinous terror attack in Pahalgam on April 22. The delegation shared that Operation Sindoor, conducted by India in response, was calibrated, targeted and proportionate, demonstrating India's commitment to countering terrorism without escalating tensions. They emphasized the need to stop differentiating the terrorists and their backers and dismantling the cross-border terrorism infrastructure, developed and used against India for several decades.

4. The Qatar side emphasized its own zero-tolerance policy against terrorism and stressed that terrorism must be condemned. The delegation appreciated the condemnation of Pahalgam attack by Government of Qatar and thanked the Qatari leadership for its support.

 5. It may be recalled that Qatar MOFA had issued a statement on April 23 expressing strong condemnation of the attack in Pahalgam. Amir of the State of Qatar HH Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani and Prime Minister Modi had a telephone call on May 6. Qatar's Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Jassim Al-Thani and External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar also spoke with each other on May 7.
 
6. In the interaction with media, the parliamentarians gave a detailed briefing on the developments and their meetings in Qatar. The delegation also addressed queries raised by journalists regarding recent developments. Addressing the Indian community, the delegation members commended them for upholding the values of tolerance, pluralism, and unity, and for resisting divisive efforts aimed at destabilizing India’s social fabric.

7. The members of the delegation include Ms Supriya Sule, MP, Mr. Rajiv Pratap Rudy, MP, Mr. Vikramjeet Singh Sahney, MP, Mr. Manish Tewari, MP, Mr. Anurag Singh Thakur, MP, Mr. Lavu Sri Krishna Devarayalu, MP, Mr. Anand Sharma, former Minister of Commerce & Industry, Mr. V Muraleedharan, Former MOS for External Affairs, and Amb Syed Akbaruddin, Former Permanent Representative of India to UN. The delegation will travel from Qatar to South Africa on its second leg of the four nation tour on May 27.

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Vivek Vaibhav

(Release ID: 2131912)