Tharoor-led Indian delegation to raise Trump’s ‘ceasefire’ claim, cross-border terror with US vice president Vance

The team is expected to raise concerns over Pakistan’s continued support for cross-border terrorism, and may also seek clarity on US President Donald Trump’s recent remarks about a ceasefire between India and Pakistan—comments that have caused unease in diplomatic circles, one of the people said.

The Washington visit is part of a broader parliamentary outreach, with delegations travelling to Guyana, Panama, Colombia and Brazil to underline India’s zero-tolerance policy on terrorism. The outreach follows the 22 April terror attack in Pahalgam, in which 26 people were killed, and India’s retaliatory action, codenamed ‘Operation Sindoor’.

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Alongside terrorism concerns, Tharoor, who chairs the Parliamentary Standing Committee on External Affairs, is expected to raise recent US trade actions, including tariff hikes on Indian steel and aluminium.

According to the second person, the team may also flag unresolved issues such as tariffs on Indian automobiles and metal products, and seek greater clarity on Washington’s approach to the ongoing Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) talks.

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“The team of Indian parliamentarians would apprise the US Vice President about Pakistan for shielding terrorists and allowing them to use Pakistani territory to carry out cross-border attacks," the person added.

In response to an emailed query, a spokesperson for the US Embassy in New Delhi said: “I can’t make any announcements on the Vice President’s schedule. I have to refer you to the Indian parliament for what they plan to raise." 

Queries to the Prime Minister's Office and the ministries of external affairs and commerce remained unanswered till press time.

The seven-member delegation includes MPs from five political parties: Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) Tejaswi Surya, Bhubaneswar Kalita, and Shashank Mani Tripathi; Taranjit Singh Sandhu (a BJP member and former Indian ambassador to the US); Sarfaraz Ahmad of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha; Ganti Harish Madhur Balayogi of the Telugu Desam Party; and Milind Deora of the Shiv Sena. 

The team began its engagements in Washington on Wednesday with a round of meetings on Capitol Hill, briefing US Senators and Representatives on India’s experience with Pakistan-sponsored terror.

“Seven MPs representing five political parties, seven states—and we also have two ambassadors with us, the current and the former ambassador to Washington. We represent eight states and three religions," Tharoor noted during meetings with US Senators. 

“I mention religions not because it should matter, but because the terrorists in Pahalgam tried to make religion an issue by asking their victims what their religion was before shooting them between the eyes," he added.

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“They committed this heinous crime in a way that ensured there would be survivors to recount how those questions were asked. That is the message they wanted to send," said Tharoor.

At a press conference held Wednesday at the National Press Club in Washington, Tharoor, along with BJP lawmaker Surya and Shiv Sena's Deora, sharply contrasted India’s credentials as a reliable partner and investment destination with what they called Pakistan’s continued role as an exporter of terrorism and regional instability.