Indian parliamentary delegation holds discussion with Hailemariam Dessalegn (Photo: Indian embassy in Ethiopia)
New Delhi: Hailemariam Dessalegn, Ethiopia’s former prime minister, extended his condolences on Friday to the victims of the recent terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu & Kashmir. At least 27 tourists, including a Nepali tourist, and a local pony operator were killed in the massacre suspected Pakistan-trained terrorists carried out on April 22.
Condemning the brutal attack, Dessalegn reaffirmed Ethiopia’s support for India’s stance on terrorism and emphasized the urgent need to build both regional and global consensus against the menace.
The remarks came during a meeting with an Indian all-party parliamentary delegation led by Supriya Sule.
During their meeting, Dessalegn also drew parallels between terrorism in South Asia and persistent extremist violence in Africa’s Horn and Sahel regions, underscoring the global nature of the threat.
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India’s Zero-Tolerance Policy on Terrorism Reiterated
During the discussion, members of the Indian delegation reiterated the country’s zero-tolerance policy on terrorism and emphasized its long-standing commitment to fighting extremist violence at both national and international levels.
After the meeting, Sule said: “It was an excellent meeting with the former prime minister ... I’m very, very hopeful that Ethiopia is somebody very close to India, and even in the G20, they will be having a very big role now ... We are very reassured that in this journey of the eradication of terrorism, Ethiopia stands together solidly with India. When it comes to India, I think globally, everybody agrees that there has to be zero tolerance against terrorism. We will not accept any terrorism anywhere in the world anymore.”
The delegation arrived in Addis Ababa on Friday and was received by the Indian ambassador to Ethiopia, Anil Kumar, Rai. The group includes prominent Indian parliamentarians: Rajiv Pratap Rudy, Manish Tewari, Anurag Singh Thakur, Lavu Sri Krishna Devarayalu, Vikramjit Singh Sahney, Anand Sharma, and V. Muraleedharan. They are accompanied by Ambassador Syed Akbaruddin, India’s former permanent representative to the United Nations.
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Over the next three days, the delegation will engage with Ethiopian leadership, media, civil society, academia, and the Indian diaspora, aiming to strengthen bilateral ties and foster deeper cooperation in the fight against terrorism.
Operation Sindoor and India's Global Outreach
This diplomatic engagement is part of India’s global outreach campaign under Operation Sindoor, launched in the aftermath of the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack. The attack, which resulted in the highest civilian death toll in India since the 2008 Mumbai attacks, has been described as an act of extreme brutality.
In response, India launched a “firm, measured, and proportionate retaliatory strike” during the night of May 6–7, 2025, under Operation Sindoor, targeting identified terrorist infrastructure.
According to a statement from the Indian Embassy in Ethiopia, India views the attack as a deliberate attempt to incite communal discord and tarnish the country’s international image. The embassy reiterated India’s resolve to combat terrorism with a balanced yet uncompromising approach.
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Building International Consensus
To build global support, the government has dispatched seven multi-party parliamentary delegations to 32 countries, aiming to communicate its counterterrorism stance and forge broader international cooperation.
These efforts, officials said, are a continuation of India’s proactive diplomatic strategy to isolate state sponsors of terrorism, enhance global counterterror frameworks, and promote a united front against violent extremism.
