In an unusual moment of public diplomacy and family interplay, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor fielded a pointed question from an unexpected source—his son—during an interaction at the Council on Foreign Relations in Washington. Tharoor, currently leading a multi-party delegation to the United States, was questioned by Ishaan Tharoor, a global affairs columnist at a leading daily newspaper, about the Indian government’s Operation Sindoor—a military response to a deadly terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir.
Shashi Tharoor Questioned By Son On Pak’s Role
Standing up during the Q&A session, Ishaan introduced himself in his professional capacity but added, “Mostly to say hi before you go off to your next engagement,” drawing laughter from the audience. His question, however, was serious: Had any foreign government representatives requested proof of Pakistan’s involvement in the Pahalgam attack?
#WATCH | Washington DC: On a question asked by his son about whether any country had asked the delegation for evidence of Pakistan’s involvement in the Pahalgam attack and about Pakistan’s repeated denials of any role in the attack, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor says, “I’m very glad… pic.twitter.com/RR0tcVOwpU
— ANI (@ANI) June 5, 2025
Tharoor, clearly amused yet unfazed by the personal curveball, quipped, “That shouldn’t be allowed. This is my son,” prompting more laughter. Then, regaining his composure, he addressed the question head-on.
“No one asked us for evidence. Some media did, as you’re doing now—and I see you’re speaking for your tribe. But let me say categorically: India would not have launched Operation Sindoor without being absolutely sure. This wasn’t a hasty or reactionary move,” Tharoor said, as per a report on PTI.
He stressed that the Pahalgam attack bore the hallmarks of a sophisticated, premeditated operation involving surveillance, intelligence, and targeted killing. Citing a “37-year pattern” of attacks allegedly linked to Pakistan, Tharoor noted that repeated denials from across the border were routine. He also reminded the audience of past incidents like the 2008 Mumbai attacks and the discovery of Osama bin Laden in Pakistan, which, he said, had strained the credibility of such denials.
“India doesn’t operate militarily without a solid foundation. We’ve dealt with many attacks without crossing a line. This time was different,” he asserted.
