A multi-party Indian parliamentary delegation led by Congress MP Shashi Tharoor met with Panamanian President Jose Raul Mulino on Wednesday in Panama City, as part of India’s global diplomatic outreach to highlight its fight against Pakistan-sponsored terrorism.
During the meeting at the Presidential Palace, the Indian delegation underscored the threat of cross-border terrorism and shared photographic evidence of Pakistani Army officials attending funerals of UN-designated terrorists killed in India’s Operation Sindoor.
Earlier in the day, the delegation also met with Panama’s Foreign Minister Javier Martinez Acha, who voiced unequivocal support for India’s stance. “We cannot tolerate any kind of terrorism. We cannot tolerate countries sponsoring terrorism,” said Acha. “India is the largest democracy in the world, which values principles, and we will fight against any kind of terrorism together.”
Tharoor noted that the Foreign Minister was not only highly receptive to India’s concerns on terrorism but also showed strong interest in expanding bilateral cooperation. “The Minister received our message on terrorism in a very open-hearted way,” Tharoor said. “He also discussed future opportunities in areas like technology, education, pharmaceuticals, and more, reflecting Panama’s commitment to deeper ties with India.”
In a positive diplomatic signal, Minister Acha expressed enthusiasm about visiting India in the near future and proposed setting an agenda for a potential visit by the Panamanian President as well. “We have a promise from my good friend Mr. Tharoor that Prime Minister Modi will come to Panama soon,” Acha added, to which Tharoor responded, “We will try to persuade him.”
The all-party delegation includes representatives from across India’s political spectrum: Shambhavi Chaudhary (Lok Janshakti Party), Sarfaraz Ahmed (Jharkhand Mukti Morcha), G. M. Harish Balayogi (Telugu Desam Party), Shashank Mani Tripathi, Tejasvi Surya, and Bhubaneswar Kalita (all BJP), Mallikarjun Devda (Shiv Sena), Milind Deora (Shiv Sena), and former Indian Ambassador to the US, Taranjit Singh Sandhu.
The Panama leg is part of India’s broader diplomatic initiative to engage global partners following the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, which killed 26 civilians. The mission, under Operation Sindoor, aims to expose Pakistan’s role in sheltering terrorists and strengthen India’s international alliances against cross-border terrorism.
