In a powerful display of national unity, an all-party Indian parliamentary delegation led by NCP-SCP MP Supriya Sule visited Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on Sunday to present a cohesive front against terrorism and underscore India’s collective resolve in addressing global security threats.
Speaking on behalf of the delegation, Sule stressed the primacy of national interest over partisan politics. “For us, the country comes first, the state second, party third, and then our family. We come here as a team representing all parties. It’s a heavyweight delegation — many among us have served as ministers in key departments,” she said, emphasizing a unified Indian message to the international community.
The delegation included prominent parliamentarians from across the political spectrum — including Anurag Thakur (BJP), Manish Tewari (Congress), Vikramjit Singh Sahney (AAP), Rajiv Pratap Rudy (BJP), Anand Sharma (Congress), Lavu Sri Krishna Devarayalu (TDP), V Muraleedharan (BJP), and former diplomat Syed Akbaruddin.
BJP MP Anurag Thakur took direct aim at Pakistan, accusing it of glorifying terrorism. “Pakistan Army, Police officials, and leaders have attended funerals of terrorists, wrapping their bodies in national flags. No other country does this,” he said, pointing to the example of Hafiz Abdul Rauf — a U.S.-designated global terrorist and senior Lashkar-e-Taiba commander — who led funeral prayers for those killed in Indian strikes.
AAP MP Vikramjit Singh Sahney reiterated the delegation’s message of peace, firmly rejecting the conflation of terrorism with religion. “Terrorism has no religion. Yet, the neighbouring country continues to mask terrorism under religious pretenses. We will not let them succeed,” he asserted.
Congress MP Anand Sharma spoke about India’s restrained yet strong response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack. “India is a nation rooted in non-violence, but when attacked, we respond decisively. Our army’s retaliation was focused on terrorist groups, not civilians,” he said, referring to Operation Sindoor.
Congress MP Manish Tewari issued a stern warning to Pakistan, stating that if it continues to support terrorism, India’s response will become “very aggressive.”
During their visit, the delegation met with Tagesse Chaffo, Speaker of the House of Peoples’ Representatives of Ethiopia, and addressed Ethiopian lawmakers, explaining the objectives and outcomes of Operation Sindoor — India’s calibrated military response to terrorism — and outlining India’s long-standing stance against cross-border terror.
This visit is part of a broader diplomatic outreach, with seven all-party Indian delegations currently engaging with nations around the world to build support for a united stand against terrorism and to strengthen India’s global partnerships.