Colombia has officially withdrawn its earlier statement expressing condolences to Pakistan over casualties from India’s Operation Sindoor, marking a significant diplomatic shift in favour of India’s stance on terrorism.
This development follows a diplomatic intervention led by Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, who is heading a multi-party delegation across the Americas to garner international support for India’s counterterrorism efforts. The delegation met with Colombia’s Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, Rosa Yolanda Villavicencio, in Bogotá, where they conveyed India’s disappointment with Colombia’s initial response.
Tharoor stated, “They have withdrawn their statement that disappointed us earlier and will issue a statement of strong support for our position.” He emphasized that India’s military action was a legitimate exercise of its right to self-defence following the Pahalgam terror attack, which claimed 26 lives.
The Pahalgam attack, carried out on April 22, targeted tourists in Jammu and Kashmir and was claimed by The Resistance Front, an affiliate of the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba. In response, India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7, conducting airstrikes on terrorist camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir.
Colombia’s initial statement, which expressed sympathy for Pakistani casualties, was perceived by India as equating the actions of terrorists with those defending against terrorism. Tharoor criticized this equivalence, asserting that there is “no equivalence possible between terrorists on the one hand and innocent civilians on the other.”
Following the meeting, Vice Minister Villavicencio acknowledged the delegation’s concerns and affirmed Colombia’s understanding of India’s position. She expressed a commitment to continued dialogue and support for India’s efforts against terrorism.
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