Parliamentary Standing Committee on External Affairs headed by senior Congress MP Shashi Tharoor
Credit: PTI Photo
New Delhi: A meeting of a Parliamentary Standing Committee on Friday saw MPs raising questions about India’s agreement with China on border patrolling, plunge in ties with Canada and the Israel-Palestine conflict.
Sources said the MPs spoke about concerns over these issues during a briefing by Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri on ‘Israel- Palestine Conflict’ at the meeting called by the Parliamentary Standing Committee on External Affairs headed by senior Congress MP Shashi Tharoor.
After the meeting, Tharoor said it was a "very good discussion".
On China, sources said, the MPs asked why there was no joint statement by both the countries to announce the agreement and why China was not seen enthusiastic about it. MPs were told that there are also times when joint statements are issued.
The Foreign Secretary said India-China agreement will restore the situation which prevailed prior to the border crisis in 2020, sources said.
MPs also raised brief queries about plunge in ties with Canada. Sources said Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's political compulsions were mentioned while explaining the steps taken by the government.
On Israel-Palestine, sources said MPs asked about why India had abstained from certain resolutions in the United Nations against Israel. They also raised concerns about job recruitment of Indians to Israel.
Sources said Misri told the panel that nearly 30,000 Indians are estimated to be staying in Israel. Around 9,000 construction workers and 700 farm workers have gone there as part of an agreement inked between the two countries before the conflict in West Asia broke out. He also reiterated India's position that it wants the crisis to be diffused through talks.
To a question raised by an MP whether India had shown bias for Israel, sources said the MEA officials provided details of India's humanitarian aid to the Palestinian authorities and the United Nations Relief and Works Agency to help Palestinian refugees.
Misri also referred to India's ties with Israel and Palestine, noting that Modi has been in touch with Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian Authority head Mahmoud Abbas.
He also spoke about India's condemnation of Hamas' targeting Israeli civilians on October 7 last year besides expressing concerns over civilian casualties in a hospital in Palestine.
He also reiterated that India stands for two-state solution reached through talks to end the crisis.