'Confidential informal affair': CPI-M MP John Brittas on meeting with EAM Jaishankar

CPI-M MP John Brittas, a member of the all-party delegation that recently completed a five-nation visit, described the delegation's meeting with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar as a "confidential informal affair."

Speaking about the interaction after their return, Brittas said, "This meeting was a confidential informal affair...The External Affairs Minister had a meeting with our team...We shared our experiences...We also put across specific suggestions...We got a warm welcome in those countries..."

The delegation, led by Sanjay Kumar Jha, visited Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Indonesia, and Malaysia as part of a diplomatic outreach aimed at strengthening international support against cross-border terrorism. This multi-nation visit followed Operation Sindoor, launched on May 7 as a decisive response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that claimed 26 lives and was carried out by Pakistan-sponsored terrorists.


After their return, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar met the delegation and tweeted, "Nice to meet with the All Party Delegation led by @SanjayJhaBihar that visited Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Indonesia and Malaysia." The delegation comprised MPs from various political parties--BJP's Aparajita Sarangi, Brij Lal, Pradan Baruah, Hemang Joshi; TMC's Abhishek Banerjee; CPI-M's John Brittas; and Congress leader Salman Khurshid--demonstrating a unified national stance against terrorism.

Reflecting on their meeting with the External Affairs Minister, Salman Khurshid noted that Jaishankar was well-informed about the delegation's engagements abroad, having been briefed by ambassadors. Khurshid said the minister was aware of "where we met whom, at what level, and the main issues raised," and that broader discussions also touched upon concerns requiring government attention.

During the discussions, the parliamentarians highlighted the issue of the lack of reciprocal friendship associations abroad. Khurshid explained, "In many places, the one-way friendship association is theirs," adding that Indian parliamentarians "have not been able to take those steps from our side yet." The External Affairs Minister acknowledged these points and assured that they would be studied carefully.

Additionally, Khurshid mentioned that the delegation was asked to provide detailed context about their visits and the issues discussed, with "messages from every country [already] coming to our government."

Overall, the delegation's visit underscored India's united approach to combating terrorism and deepening diplomatic engagement with strategic partners across East and Southeast Asia. The trip reinforced the country's commitment to regional peace, security, and development.