Bogotá/New Delhi: Colombia has officially withdrawn its condolence message to Pakistan over casualties from India’s anti-terror Operation Sindoor, following diplomatic engagement led by Indian MP Shashi Tharoor. The operation, conducted on May 7, targeted terror camps across the border.
Tharoor, heading an all-party delegation, raised the issue during a meeting with Colombia’s Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, Rosa Yolanda Villavicencio. Expressing India’s disappointment over Colombia’s May 8 statement, he emphasized the need for global solidarity against terrorism rather than misplaced sympathies.
“The Minister assured me the statement has been retracted, and India’s position is now fully understood and strongly supported,” Tharoor posted on X. He later told ANI that the Vice Minister acknowledged India’s concerns and affirmed Colombia’s alignment with India’s anti-terror stance.
#WATCH | Colombia officially withdraws its earlier statement that it issued expressing condolences on the loss of lives in Pakistan after the Indian strikes; earlier, Shashi Tharoor, who is leading the all-party delegation, raised concern and said – we (India) were a little… pic.twitter.com/iVFmLUl1yP
— ANI (@ANI) May 30, 2025
India had objected to Colombia’s initial message that offered condolences to Pakistan for lives lost, without acknowledging the context of terrorism. Tharoor earlier remarked that the statement failed to recognize the victims of terrorism.
Began today with an excellent meeting with the Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of Colombia, Rosa Yolanda Villavicencio, and her senior colleagues dealing with the Asia-Pacific. I expressed India’s view of recent events and voiced disappointment at Colombia’s statement on 8 May… pic.twitter.com/OdRoUIguJl
— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) May 30, 2025
The delegation, currently in Colombia after visiting Panama and Guyana, is part of a larger diplomatic effort involving seven multi-party teams deployed to 33 global capitals. The mission aims to brief foreign governments on India’s counter-terror operations following the Pahalgam attack in Jammu and Kashmir, which claimed 26 lives, predominantly non-Muslim tourists.
BJP leader and former U.S. ambassador Taranjit Singh Sandhu, also part of the initiative, confirmed Colombia’s retraction and support for India’s stance on terrorism.
