Manama, May 24: An all-party Indian parliamentary delegation, led by BJP MP Baijayant Jay Panda, arrived in Bahrain as part of a high-level diplomatic global outreach mission against terrorism.

The visit, aimed at strengthening India’s ties in the region and highlighting the country’s firm stance against cross-border terrorism, marks the beginning of a multi-nation tour across Bahrain, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and Algeria.

The Embassy of India in Bahrain confirmed the arrival via a post on the social media platform X, stating, “The All-Party Delegation led by H.E. Baijayant Jay Panda, Member of Parliament, arrived in Bahrain. India’s unwavering stand against cross-border terrorism will be highlighted in all the engagements. Hon’ble Baijayant Jay Panda & the delegation were received by Ambassador Vinod K. Jacob at the airport.”

Ahead of the departure, Jay Panda emphasised the bipartisan nature and unity of the group. “Our group is embarking on a trip to West Asia. We have very senior members and broad representation from across the political spectrum. The most important message is the unity that India has demonstrated to the world and continues to demonstrate. We are committed to conveying that, after achieving victory on the battlefield, it is equally important to urge the world to stay focused on terrorism, which many countries have suffered from,” he said.

He further asserted, “India faces a unique form of terrorism, state-sponsored terrorism, and, as you’ve seen recently, many countries are beginning to speak out in support of our position. That is our mission.”

AIMIM MP Asaduddin Owaisi, also part of the Jay Panda-led delegation, outlined the tour’s roadmap and pointed to the broader regional context. “We will be going to Bahrain. Then we will be going to Kuwait, then Saudi Arabia and lastly Algeria. Now, it’s evident that the recent incident in Pahalgam was a tragic one, and for many years, as you and I both know, our neighbouring country, Pakistan, has been running terrorist camps on its own soil, providing them with shelter and support. These terrorists then cross over into our country to carry out attacks. We will be visiting these four countries to present these concerns and realities before them,” Owaisi said.

Rajya Sabha MP Satnam Singh Sandhu also reiterated the group’s intent to represent India’s voice firmly. “We are going to Bahrain. I am part of the Group 1 delegation. Our responsibility is to present India’s position in Bahrain,” he noted.

Abu Dhabi, May 22: The second all-party delegation led by Shiv Sena MP Shrikant Shinde arrived in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) early on Thursday morning (Indian time) as part of India’s massive global outreach campaign on Operation Sindoor.

This campaign is aimed at exposing Pakistan’s role in fostering cross-border terrorism.

The delegation includes BJP MPs Bansuri Swaraj, Atul Garg and Manan Kumar Mishra, BJD’s Sasmit Patra, IUML MP E.T. Mohammed Basheer, BJP leader S.S. Ahluwalia and former Ambassador Sujan Chinoy. After the UAE, it will visit Liberia, Congo and Sierra Leone.

“Taking India’s strong message against terrorism to the world! A warm welcome to the All-party delegation led by Shrikant Shinde to the UAE. Ahmed Mir Khoori, Member of the Federal National Council and Indian Ambassador to the UAE, Sunjay Sudhir, received the delegation,” the Indian Embassy in UAE said in a post on X.

“UAE is the first country to receive the All-Party delegation in the context of Operation Sindoor, underlining India-UAE’s deep bonds of friendship,” the embassy further stated.

Before heading to the Middle Eastern nation, Shinde said that it is a great opportunity for the whole team to put forward India’s firm stance against terrorism.

“Our purpose is clear and unwavering: to confront state-sponsored terrorism, specifically from Pakistan, on the global stage. We will be highlighting the remarkable success of Operation Sindoor and reinforcing India’s undeniable Right to Self-Defence as enshrined in International Law,” he said in a post on X.

“This delegation will deliver a strong, unified message to the international community — reflecting India’s resolute stand against terrorism and our deep-seated commitment to fostering global peace and security,” Shinde added.

The first delegation of Indian parliamentarians, led by Janata Dal-United MP Sanjay Kumar Jha, also arrived in Tokyo with a clear message — India’s zero tolerance policy toward terrorism.

The delegation includes a diverse array of leaders across party lines, including former External Affairs Minister and Congress leader Salman Khurshid, CPI(M) MP John Brittas, BJP MPs Aparajita Sarangi, Brij Lal, Pradan Baruah, Hemang Joshi, Trinamool Congress’s Abhishek Banerjee, and Ambassador Mohan Kumar.

The campaign’s primary objective is to present a unified Indian front against terrorism and internationally isolate Pakistan by highlighting its consistent support for terror networks.

The MPs will engage with foreign governments, legislators, media, civil society, Indian diaspora, and international institutions, including the UN.

They will present evidence of Pakistan’s backing of terror groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), and its continued sheltering of globally designated terrorists.

The initiative represents one of India’s strongest and most cohesive foreign outreach efforts in recent years, aimed at building international consensus against state-sponsored terrorism.

Doha, May 15: Qatar and the US signed here a series of deals to boost bilateral cooperation following a meeting between the two heads of state, according to a statement from the Emiri Diwan, the administrative office of the Qatari Emir.

The two sides on Wednesday signed a purchase agreement for Boeing aircraft, which is described by the White House in a fact sheet elaborating on some of the deals as a “historic” sale order worth $96 billion, with Qatar Airways’ acquisition of up to 210 Boeing 787 Dreamliner and 777X aircraft, Xinhua news agency reported.

Qatar and the US also signed a statement of intent on defence cooperation, outlining over $38 billion in potential investments, including support for burden-sharing at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar and future defence capabilities related to air and maritime security.

In addition, two letters of offer and acceptance were signed, one for US General Atomics MQ-9B drones and the other for a counter-drone system developed by US defence firm Raytheon, with the US securing agreements valued at about $3 billion in total, according to the White House fact sheet.

A joint declaration of cooperation between the two governments was also signed.

Prior to the signing ceremony, Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and US President Donald Trump held talks on a range of bilateral issues, with a particular focus on investment, energy, military, and security cooperation.

They also discussed regional and international developments, particularly those in the Middle East, with the Qatari Emir emphasising the importance of promoting peace and stability in the region.

The US President has thanked his Qatari hosts for having helped “negotiated the release of the last living American hostage in Gaza, Edan Alexander”.

“Hopefully, this is a stepping stone for getting the rest of the hostages back,” Trump said as he spoke at a state dinner in Lusail Palace.

Trump also revisited some of his usual talking points, speaking about his 2024 election success and reported increases in military recruitment in the US.

The meeting came during Trump’s visit to the Gulf state, part of his first major overseas tour since taking office in January — a trip that also includes stops in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.