India, Indonesia forge stronger anti-terror ties

New Delhi: India and Indonesia held brainstorming sessions on counterterrorism and deradicalisation this week during a visit to Jakarta by a multi-party MP delegation led by JDU leader Sanjay Jha.

The delegation interacted with the Executive Board of Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), the world's largest Islamic civil society group, as well as members of Indonesia's Golkar and NasDem parties, media houses, business leaders, and the Indian diaspora. Discussions focused on shared values of peace, the threat of extremism, and the need for deeper cooperation on counterterrorism efforts.

During talks with NU leaders KH Ulil Abshar Abdalla and Kholili Kholil, the Indian delegation sought Indonesia's continued support against terrorism. The NU leadership condemned attacks on civilians, expressed solidarity with India, and called for joint efforts to combat terrorism and promote regional peace.


India is also consulting Indonesia to blunt Pakistan's attempts to pass anti-India resolutions at the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). Jakarta has consistently backed India's territorial integrity and distanced itself from Pakistan's Kashmir stance, with support from countries like Egypt, Oman, Kazakhstan, and Bahrain following the Pahalgam terror attack.

Colombia retracts remark on Operation Sindoor

Meanwhile, in a diplomatic win, Colombia has retracted its earlier statement expressing concern over civilian casualties during India's Operation Sindoor in Pakistan. The retraction came after strong objections by Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, who is heading a multi-nation parliamentary delegation.

Speaking in Bogota, Tharoor stressed, "There is no moral equivalence between terrorists and those defending their nation." Colombia's Vice Foreign Minister Rosa Yolanda Villavicencio acknowledged the Indian position and said a fresh statement would be issued after understanding the facts of the conflict.

"We now have detailed information about the real situation and what happened in Kashmir," she said, adding that Colombia values continued dialogue with India.