News - World: India has launched an extensive diplomatic outreach to project, what New Delhi has identified as, the country’s strong stance on combating terrorism following military strikes on Pakistan and the Pakistan-administered Kashmir earlier this month.

The initiative, which serves as a bid to rally global support and display national unity, is to see India send seven all-party delegations to key international capitals, the Indian government announced on Saturday.

The delegations will include members from both the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and opposition parties.

The decision to dispatch the delegations followed the Indian military strikes, which, in turn, had come after a deadly terrorist attack in the Indian-administered Kashmir on April 22. At least 26 civilians, many of whom were tourists, were killed in the attack.

The Indian government attributed the attack to Pakistan-based elements, with New Delhi saying the "Operation Sindoor" targeted “terrorist hideouts.” Pakistan, however, has routinely denied any involvement.

Three days of reciprocal strikes followed, featuring missile and drone operations, with the Indian operation claiming 51 people in Pakistan, according to Islamabad. Indian officials have, on the other hand, said strikes launched by Pakistan claimed the lives of at least 20 people.

The overall situation marked the first direct military confrontation between the two sides in decades before a ceasefire was brokered on May 10, bringing relative relief.

Commenting on the pending diplomatic push, the Indian government said India aimed to send a “clear message to the international community about its commitment to countering terrorism.”

"The All-Party delegations will project India’s national consensus and resolute approach to combating terrorism in all forms and manifestations," an official statement read.

The delegations will, therefore, carry a strong message of “zero tolerance” towards terrorism, it noted.

The Indian officials comprising the delegations are expected to visit the United States, the UK, Japan, and several other key global partners later this month.

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has, meanwhile, weighed in on the overall situation, calling for peaceful dialog to settle outstanding issues. "Without resolution of our issues, we cannot have peace in this part of the world," he said.

Sharif also praised Pakistan’s military response to India, referring to it as a "golden chapter" in the country’s military history.

Source: Press TV