Cape Town, May 29
An all-party delegation led by NCP (SP) MP Supriya Sule held extensive meetings with South African leadership in Cape Town, reiterating India's firm and united stand against terrorism.
The visit is part of India's global outreach to raise awareness about the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor, India's calibrated military response.
According to a statement from the High Commission of India in Pretoria, the delegation met with South African Deputy Minister Kenneth Morolong and conveyed India's counter-terrorism approach, which includes holding both terrorists and their enablers accountable through prompt and decisive action.
The Deputy Minister acknowledged the discussion and assured that the matter would be brought to the attention of the South African Presidency, according to the Indian mission.
The delegation also held a detailed discussion with John Steenhuisen, Leader of the Democratic Alliance (DA) and Minister of Agriculture, along with other senior DA members.
"DA expressed solidarity with the victims of the terrorist attack in Pahalgam and supported India's resolve to fight cross-border terrorism," the High Commission stated.
Another key engagement was with the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on International Relations and Cooperation of South Africa, chaired by Supra Obakeng Ramoeletsi Mahumapelo.
During the meeting, the Indian MPs provided details of the Pahalgam terror attack and emphasised that Operation Sindoor was a focused and non-escalatory response aimed at neutralising the threat posed by cross-border terrorism.
The visit began with a solemn meeting hosted by P. (Les) Govender, Deputy Chairperson of South Africa's National Council of Provinces (NCOP). The session began with a minute of silence in remembrance of the victims of the Pahalgam attack.
The Sule-led parliamentarians highlighted India's unified approach and zero-tolerance policy towards terrorism. Members of NCOP expressed their solidarity with India and condemned terrorism in all its forms.
Earlier, marking the start of the engagements, the delegation interacted with members of the Indian community in Johannesburg.
"All-party delegation led by MP Supriya Sule interacted with the Indian community in South Africa. They emphasised India's national consensus and collective resolve against terrorism in all its forms. Commended the wholehearted support of Indian diaspora to eradicate the scourge of terrorism," the Indian High Commission posted on X.
The all-party delegation led by Supriya Sule comprises BJP leaders Rajiv Pratap Rudy, Anurag Thakur and V. Muraleedharan, Congress leaders Manish Tewari and Anand Sharma, Telugu Desam Party's Lavu Sri Krishna Devarayalu, Aam Aadmi Party leader Vikramjeet Singh Sawhney, and former diplomat Syed Akbaruddin.
The delegation, a part of India's global diplomatic outreach campaign to highlight the significance of Operation Sindoor and continued fight against Pakistan-sponsored cross-border terrorism, arrived in South Africa following a successful visit to Qatar.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Proud to see our leaders presenting a united front against terrorism on global platforms. Operation Sindoor was a necessary response to protect our sovereignty. Hope South Africa and other nations understand our concerns about cross-border terrorism. Jai Hind! 🇮🇳
Good diplomatic effort but I wish our government would also focus more on internal security measures. Why do we keep seeing terror attacks despite all the intelligence? Need better coordination between agencies.
South Africa is an important partner in BRICS. Glad our delegation could explain India's position clearly. Terrorism has no place in civilized society. Hope other African nations also take note of Pakistan's role in spreading terror.
Heartening to see all political parties standing together on this issue. Terrorism affects all Indians regardless of party lines. The minute of silence for Pahalgam victims was a touching gesture. We must never forget our martyrs. ðŸ™
While I support the delegation's efforts, I hope they also discussed economic cooperation with South Africa. We need to balance security concerns with trade opportunities. Our diaspora there can play a big role in strengthening ties.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.