 "How Pakistan’s ‘Islamic solidarity’ ploy to stop Indian delegation’s visit to Malaysia failed")
An Indian delegation led by JD(U) MP Sanjay Kumar Jha reached Kuala Lumpur on Saturday to hold 10 diplomatic outreach events following the launch of Operation Sindoor.
This was the last leg of the delegation’s tour , which also included visits to Japan, South Korea, Singapore, and Indonesia.
Now, reports suggest that Pakistan asked Malaysian authorities to call off all Operation Sindoor events planned by the Indian delegation. Islamabad is said to have raised the Kashmir issue and brought in a religious angle to back its demand.
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However, Malaysia is reported to have rejected the request, which is being viewed as a strong diplomatic setback for Islamabad.
What exactly did Pakistan say in its appeal to Malaysia? How did Kuala Lumpur respond? And what message did the Indian delegation share about Operation Sindoor during their visit?
Let’s get you the answers to these questions and more.
How Pakistan tried to block Indian outreach in Malaysia and failed
Pakistan requested Malaysian authorities to call off all ‘Operation Sindoor’ outreach events by Indian delegations, citing Islamic unity. But Kuala Lumpur turned down the request, sources told NDTV and India Today TV.
The Indian delegation was led by JD(U) MP Sanjay Kumar Jha and included BJP MPs Aparajita Sarangi, Brij Lal, Pradan Baruah and Hemang Joshi, Trinamool’s Abhishek Banerjee , CPM’s John Brittas, Congress leader Salman Khurshid, and former diplomat Mohan Kumar.
Reports said Pakistan tried to derail the visit by bringing up the Kashmir issue. But the effort failed to make an impact.
In a bid to appeal on religious grounds, the Pakistani embassy urged Malaysian officials to stop the delegation’s 10 scheduled programmes.
According to India Today, the request was: “We are an Islamic country, you are an Islamic country… don’t listen to the Indian delegation, cancel all their programmes in Malaysia.”
All-Party Parliamentary Delegation, led by Hon’ble MP Mr. Sanjay Kumar Jha visited Torana Gate in Little India, Brickfields, Kuala Lumpur.
— India in Malaysia (@hcikl) June 1, 2025
The Torana Gate, a gift from people of India to the people of Malaysia inaugurated during the visit of Hon’ble Prime Minister @narendramodi… pic.twitter.com/I5OWcP6yey
Despite the push, the Malaysian government declined the request and cleared all 10 events planned by the nine-member Indian team.
India’s Operation Sindoor outreach in Malaysia
On Monday, India’s all-party parliamentary team in Malaysia shared the country’s firm stance against terrorism, indicating what it called the “new normal” of responding strongly to any attack on Indian soil.
The group met leaders of the Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC), including its President Tan Sri Dato Sri SA Vigneswaran and Deputy President YB Datuk Seri M Saravanan.
“Highlighted India’s unwavering stand against terrorism as demonstrated in Operation Sindoor. Conveyed India’s new normal of responding firmly against any act of terror on Indian soil. @MIC_Malaysia expressed solidarity with India’s position on the fight against cross-border terrorism,” the High Commission of India in Malaysia said in a post on X.
The delegation also briefed major Malaysian think tanks and academic bodies such as the Asia Europe Institute, Economic Club of Kuala Lumpur, and Institute of Strategic and International Studies, focusing on the recent terror attack in Pahalgam that claimed 26 lives.
They described Operation Sindoor as a precise, calibrated and non-escalatory response, in line with India’s “zero-tolerance” approach towards terrorism.
The mission said, “India will no longer make a distinction between terrorists and the states that support them”.
The delegation had earlier met members of Malaysia’s Democratic Action Party, led by YB M. Kula Segaran, Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform), as well as members of Parti Keadilan Rakyat.
The All-Party Parliamentary Delegation, led by Hon’ble MP Mr. Sanjay Kumar Jha, paid a solemn tribute to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, a towering figure in India’s struggle for independence at Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Indian Culture Centre (NSCBICC) at Brickfields.
— India in Malaysia (@hcikl) June 1, 2025
The… pic.twitter.com/8ndbmUPqve
“Discussions centred on India’s resolute response to terrorism under Operation Sindoor. There was emphasis on India’s zero tolerance to terrorism, and the view that ‘Water and blood cannot flow together’,” the High Commission posted.
The remarks referred to India’s suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty following the Pahalgam attack. Notably, New Delhi has said the treaty will remain on hold unless Pakistan stops backing terror groups.
Malaysia thanks Indian delegation
On Tuesday, the Malaysian government thanked the Indian parliamentary delegation and reaffirmed its commitment to peace.
The delegation’s visit is part of a broader outreach under which India is sending multi-party teams to 33 capitals around the world to reveal Pakistan’s terror links.
What the Indian delegation told Malaysian leaders
Speaking to news agency IANS, JD(U) MP Sanjay Kumar Jha said the all-party team conveyed four key points to Malaysian officials during their visit.
“Firstly, the all-party delegation sent by the government delivered a strong message that the entire country stands united on this issue against terrorism. Secondly, countries across the world unequivocally condemned the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack and offered condolences to all 26 victims who died in the massacre. Thirdly, India only targeted terrorist centres and camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir with restraint and precision strikes. Fourth, flights have resumed in Jammu and Kashmir, apart from the Cabinet meeting being held in Pahalgam to review the situation on the ground,” Jha said.
Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee made a strong statement and said that India should now engage with Pakistan solely on the issue of reclaiming Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).
“After what happened on April 22, where 26 people were killed at point-blank range solely based on their religion and gender… I want the ruling dispensation to engage in dialogue with Pakistan only to discuss reclaiming Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir. Otherwise, these terror attacks will continue,” Banerjee said.
CPM’s John Brittas said, “Our mission was to sensitise other countries and convey the message that they must support India in its fight against terrorism.”
With inputs from agencies
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