Tharoor-led Parliamentary Panel Reviews Border Readiness After Operation Sindoor

What are you doing? The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, chaired by Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, on Tuesday reviewed India’s border preparations, the performance of security forces during Operation Sindoor and the strategic challenges faced by Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh along the borders of Pakistan and China.

Security officials briefed the visiting parliamentary delegation on the steps taken to strengthen border protection after last year’s Operation Sindoor, future measures taken, operational lessons learned and requirements of forces deployed in sensitive areas.

Committee member Rajiv Shukla said interaction with the Army, security agencies and defense forces was detailed and “very productive”. “Today we had a very productive interaction with the army men, security personnel and defense forces on how they are protecting our borders and the performance of our forces during Operation Sindoor,” Shukla told reporters here.

He said the committee was briefed on important preparations, future security requirements and steps taken to reassure people living close to the borders. “What should we do on the Pakistan border and what steps should we take going forward to strengthen our security? Army officers briefed us on this issue and its future needs and how work is being done there to reassure the local people,” he said.

Earlier, during his visit to Suchetgarh district on the India-Pakistan border in Jammu, Tharoor had praised the Border Security Force (BSF) personnel for their role in protecting the borders and ensuring the security of the country. He said their service and attention deserved wider public recognition.

“What BSF personnel have done for the country and the way they have kept us safe is truly admirable. We were proud to see their work. Every Indian citizen should visit the border whenever possible and witness first-hand the resolve of our security forces,” he said.

The panel began its four-day working visit to Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh on June 22. The itinerary covers Jammu, Srinagar, Kargil and Leh; Here, members are expected to interact with senior civilian and military officials, review ground-level preparedness and get first-hand input from border areas.

The visit holds significance as J&K shares the Line of Control (LoC) and International Border (IB) with Pakistan, while Ladakh shares the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China and the LoC with Pakistan.

The committee is examining the latest developments in India-Pakistan relations, suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty, threats from cross-border terrorism and India-China relations, especially the situation in eastern Ladakh.

Before the field visit, the delegation was briefed by officials of the Ministry of External Affairs in New Delhi on India-China relations, latest developments in India-Pakistan relations and issues related to the country’s border diplomacy and security posture.

On Monday, Tharoor clarified that the delegation’s visit was limited to its official mandate and was not aimed at assessing domestic political conditions in Kashmir. “I would like to make it clear that this visit is not a visit to check conditions in the Kashmir Valley,” he said.

“The committee is here to look into three issues; India-Pakistan relations, Sino-India relations and functioning of passport offices and passport services. These are the only three issues we are working on. We are not here to look into domestic issues and that is not our job. We are the Foreign Relations Committee,” Tharoor said.

The statement came after Tharoor faced criticism from some Congress leaders for his earlier remarks on “promoting progress towards normalcy” in J&K following a meeting with Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha. Stating that he only met the Lieutenant Governor and did not interact widely with different sections of society, Tharoor made it clear that the committee will come to conclusions only after completing the visit.

The panel also reviewed the functioning of the Regional Passport Office and Passport Seva Kendras during its work in Jammu. Tharoor said members asked “tough and probing questions” to passport officials, police, CID and postal department representatives over delays in processing applications, police verification and issuance of passports.

He said several cases of excessive delays had been flagged and officials had promised improvements. The committee wants passport delivery services in Jammu, Kashmir, Leh and Srinagar to be faster, more transparent and more responsive to applicants.

BJP MP Arun Govil, who was part of the delegation, said the panel had collected inputs on the challenges faced by passport applicants and would submit its findings and recommendations to the Central Government. He said his aim is to make the passport application and verification process smoother and more efficient.

Shukla also touched on the broader global situation, saying India was economically affected by the Iran-US conflict and wanted peace to be achieved as soon as possible. “We have suffered losses, the whole world has suffered losses due to the ongoing conflict. So the sooner this is resolved, the sooner peace is achieved, the better it will be for us and for everyone,” he said.

He added that reopening the Strait of Hormuz would benefit India’s energy and trade interests. Shukla said, “Opening the Strait of Hormuz will benefit us. With the opening of the Strait, around 300-400 ships would come, but only a few can come now. If it is opened, our energy crisis will end.”

The committee’s program will continue with visits to Kargil and Leh, where its members are expected to focus on border management, security situation in forward areas, India-China relations and LAC-related issues. The panel’s observations are expected to be compiled into a report to be presented to Parliament and the government.