Washington: In an emotional moment during India’s diplomatic mission in Washington DC, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor was unexpectedly questioned by his own son, Ishaan Tharoor. The moment came as India is reaching out to global leaders following the deadly terror attack in Pahalgam and the country’s military response through Operation Sindoor.
Shashi Tharoor is part of an all-party Indian delegation visiting different world capitals to explain India’s position and highlight the terror attack in Kashmir’s Pahalgam. While attending a public discussion in Washington, Tharoor was caught off guard, but pleasantly so, when his son Ishaan, who works as a journalist, stood up and took the microphone.
Laughs all around as Shashi Tharoor answers a sharp question from his son Ishaan
“That shouldn’t be allowed, that’s my son!” pic.twitter.com/KI5DdX9oHJ
— Shashank Mattoo (@MattooShashank) June 5, 2025
Introducing himself playfully and saying he just wanted to say hi before his father left for another meeting, Ishaan then asked a serious and direct question – Had any country asked India for proof of Pakistan’s involvement in the Pahalgam terror attack? Pakistan has repeatedly denied any link to the attack.
Tharoor responded with a smile, saying he had not asked his son to ask this question. “This guy does this to his dad,” he joked. Then he turned serious and said, “No foreign government had asked the Indian delegation for evidence.” However, he admitted that some media outlets in “two or three places” had brought it up.
He said that India would not have carried out a response like Operation Sindoor without strong and credible evidence. He said the world understands this, and India’s actions are backed by history. Tharoor said that for the last 37 years, most terror attacks in India have had links to Pakistan.
He also reminded people that Pakistan had denied knowledge of Osama bin Laden’s presence even though he was found living near an army base in Abbottabad. Similarly, Pakistan denied involvement in the 26/11 Mumbai attacks. “Pakistan will send terrorists, then deny any role—even when they’re caught red-handed,” he said firmly.
Tharoor also criticized any talk of the United States acting as a mediator between India and Pakistan. He said mediation suggests both countries are equal in this matter, which they are not. “There is no equivalence between terrorists and their victims,” he said. “There is no comparison between a democracy like India and a country that shelters terrorism,” he added.
He said that after the attacks, senior American officials had spoken with Indian leaders to express support. But he guessed that the US must have also spoken with Pakistani leaders to stop further violence. “That’s just my assumption,” he added.
Talking about Operation Sindoor, Tharoor said that India only hit terror bases in Pakistan. In contrast, Pakistan hit civilians in India because, as he said, “There are no terror bases in India.” He stated that India’s military operation was “precise and calibrated,” and not aimed at ordinary people. “This is not India versus Pakistan. This is India versus terrorism,” he said.
When asked about China’s support to Pakistan, including military technology, Tharoor acknowledged the role of China’s Belt and Road Initiative and investments like the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. He revealed that Pakistan tried using Chinese military systems during the conflict, but India found smart ways to respond.
He mentioned a Chinese system called the “kill chain,” but said India avoided it by changing its strategy. That’s how, according to him, Indian forces managed to strike 11 airfields across the border.
Tharoor commented on the deeper meaning of the conflict. He said for India, war is a distraction, but for Pakistan’s military, it’s a way to stay powerful and relevant. He even made a sarcastic remark about a Pakistani general promoting himself after a failed operation. “There was a lot of chuckling in Delhi,” he said.
