Prithviraj Chavan Welcomes 'Operation Sindoor' But Critiques Centre’s Approach

By A Staff Reporter

New Delhi, June 4, 2025 — As the Centre dispatches a multi-party delegation under ‘Operation Sindoor’ to engage with foreign governments following the Pahalgam terror attack, senior Congress leader and former Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan has offered conditional support to the initiative while pointing out flaws in its execution.

Chavan acknowledged the importance of diplomatic outreach during times of national crisis, drawing parallels to past wars India has fought. “In every war that we have fought with Pakistan and China, there has been an international diplomatic effort to explain India's point of view,” he said, citing the 1971 Bangladesh War as a key example.

He recalled that during the Bangladesh conflict, then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi sent Atal Bihari Vajpayee to the United States, Communist MP Bhupesh Gupta to the USSR, and even deployed political thinker Jayaprakash Narayan to lobby for India’s case internationally. “There are many such examples,” Chavan added.

While expressing support for the intent behind 'Operation Sindoor', he was critical of how the Modi government assembled the delegations. “What the Modi government has done should be welcomed, but unfortunately, the way the delegations were put together, it could've been done more delicately,” he remarked.