New Delhi, May 17, 2025 — In a strategic outreach initiative dubbed “Operation Sindoor,” four teams of Indian Members of Parliament are set to travel to the United States, United Kingdom, and Japan over the coming weeks. The initiative, led by senior parliamentarians Ravi Shankar Prasad, Shashi Tharoor, Supriya Sule, and Kanimozhi, aims to deepen ties with the Indian diaspora and strengthen bilateral cooperation.
According to sources in the Ministry of External Affairs, the multi-nation parliamentary mission will focus on public diplomacy, cultural engagement, and high-level meetings with lawmakers and opinion leaders in the respective host countries. The operation comes amid New Delhi’s heightened focus on leveraging its diaspora and democratic credentials as tools of global influence.
Former Union Minister and senior BJP MP Ravi Shankar Prasad will lead the delegation to the United States, where meetings are planned with American legislators, business leaders, and diaspora organizations. His team will visit key cities including Washington D.C. and San Francisco to highlight India’s digital economy and innovation potential.
In parallel, Congress MP and former diplomat Shashi Tharoor will head the delegation to the United Kingdom. His visit is expected to emphasize post-Brexit trade ties, Commonwealth engagement, and strengthening of parliamentary diplomacy between New Delhi and London.
NCP leader Supriya Sule is scheduled to travel to Japan, where her delegation will focus on economic cooperation, technology partnerships, and Indo-Pacific security discussions. Meanwhile, DMK MP Kanimozhi will also represent India abroad, engaging primarily with academic institutions and cultural organizations.
MEA officials stated that the initiative reflects a “non-partisan, strategic” effort to showcase India’s soft power abroad. “Operation Sindoor is both a tribute to our vibrant diaspora and a testament to our commitment to democratic outreach,” a senior official said.
The operation is expected to conclude by mid-June, following a series of briefings and engagement events with local communities and Indian missions abroad.
Analysts see the move as a key component of India’s evolving foreign policy approach, which increasingly includes cross-party parliamentary engagement as a diplomatic instrument. The success of Operation Sindoor may pave the way for similar missions to other global regions in the future.
