From 'A Bit Disappointed' To 'Very Pleased': Shashi Tharoor Welcomes Change In Colombia's Stand

Last Updated:May 31, 2025, 09:09 IST

Shashi Tharoor had expressed disappointment over Colombia's earlier stance on Pakistan, however, the South American country has now retracted its statement.

Colombia withdraws statement on Pakistan (PTI Image)

In a significant diplomatic achievement for India, Colombia on Friday (local time) officially withdrew its earlier statement that expressed condolences on the loss of lives in Pakistan during Operation Sindoor.

This comes after a Shashi Tharoor-led delegation expressed disappointment over the country’s stance in the immediate aftermath of India’s retaliatory strikes.

Colombia Withdraws Its Statement On Pakistan

Colombia’s Vice Foreign Minister, Ms Rosa Yolanda Villavicencio, said, “We are very confident that with the explanation that we received today and the detailed information that we now have regarding the real situation, the conflict, and what happened in Kashmir, we can also continue the dialogue."

Tharoor, who was present with the Vice Foreign Minister during her statement, said that India values their move.

“The Vice Minister very graciously mentioned that they have withdrawn the statement that we had expressed concern about and that they fully understand our position on the matter, which is something we really value," Tharoor said.

After meeting MP Alejandro Toro, President of the Second Commission of the Chamber of Representatives, Tharoor reiterated that there can be no equivalence between India and Pakistan and said that earlier disappointment with Colombia was that they “seemed to have overlooked this difference".

“There is no equivalence possible between terrorists on the one hand and innocent civilians on the other. There is no equivalence between those who attack our country and those who defend their own country, and our only disappointment with the earlier statement by Colombia was that it seemed to have overlooked this difference. We’re very pleased to learn that that statement has been withdrawn as you’ve also mentioned, and we are also very pleased that you, as representatives of the people of Colombia, are determined to stand with us for our sovereignty, for peace in the world, for peace in the subcontinent of India and that you are very, very happy that this kind of dialogue will continue between our peoples and our representatives," ANI quoted Tharoor as saying.

India Expressed Disappointment Earlier

On Thursday (local time), soon after arriving in Colombia following visits to Guyana and Panama as part of the Indian government’s global outreach program against Pakistan-sponsored terrorism, Shashi Tharoor-led delegation expressed disappointment over Colombia’s condolences to Pakistan.

“We were a little disappointed in the reaction of the Colombian government, which apparently expressed heartfelt condolences on the loss of lives in Pakistan after the Indian strikes, rather than sympathising with the victims of terrorism," news agency ANI quoted Tharoor as saying at a press conference.

“We will say to our friends in Colombia, there can be no equivalence between those who dispatch terrorists and those who resist them. There can be no equivalence between those who attack and those who defend. We are only exercising our right of self-defence, and if there is any misunderstanding here, on this core, we are here to dispel any such misunderstanding", he added.

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News world Shashi Tharoor Welcomes Colombia's U-Turn, Says ‘Very Pleased’ After 'A Bit Disappointed' Remark