Berbice [Guyana], May 26 (ANI): At the 59th Independence Day celebrations in Guyana, President Mohamed Irfaan Ali emphasised the nation's commitment to protect its sovereignty, asserting that Guyana is a protector, not an aggressor.

At the event, Mohamed Irfaan Ali said, 'We are not aggressors. We are protectors, but let no one mistake our peacefulness for weakness. If our sovereignty is challenged, if our land is threatened, we shall rise as One Nation, One People, One destiny. We shall rise not in fear, but in fierce loyalty to the land that gave us birth, and which we love unconditionally.'

He added, 'We shall defend this nation with every beat in our heart, with every muscle in our body. We will never surrender... Let this prosperity not present us as arrogant people but people bounded together with a strong sense of responsibility of what is required of us in the family of humanity.'

The event also saw the participation of an all-party delegation led by Congress MP Shashi Tharoor. Following a meeting with Prime Minister Brigadier Mark Anthony Phillips (Retd.), Tharoor spoke about the larger scope of cooperation between the two nations.

He highlighted the ongoing Technical Cooperation programme, which brings around 100 Guyanese officials to India each year for training.

While speaking to ANI, Tharoor said, 'With Guyana, it always goes beyond the main purpose of our visit because there is a much larger scope of cooperation between our countries. The Prime Minister's wife had come to Ahmedabad as part of the Technical Cooperation programme we offer, in which about 100 officials every year from Guyana tend to come, and these officials are trained in India for 3-6 months, depending on the project. She had come and studied Entrepreneurial and NGO management...'

Expressing his gratitude, Tharoor also acknowledged the hospitality extended by the Prime Minister, who hosted a dinner attended by several cabinet members. During the dinner, discussions included key issues like terrorism.

He further said, 'I am extremely grateful for the warm welcome extended by the Prime Minister, who hosted us for dinner. Guyana's 59th Independence Day is coming up. We were very touched when the Prime Minister insisted we come for dinner. Many members of the cabinet were also present. We had some very good conversations. We mentioned the issues of terrorism.'

The all-party delegation led by Tharoor comprises Shambhavi Chaudhary (Lok Janshakti Party), Sarfaraz Ahmed (Jharkhand Mukti Morcha), G M Harish Balayagi (Telugu Desam Party), Shashank Mani Tripathi, Tejaswi Surya, Bhubaneswar K Lata (all from BJP), Mallikarjun Devda (Shiv Sena) and Former Indian Ambassador to the US, Taranjit Singh Sandhu.

The members of the Indian community and the Indian diaspora in Guyana welcomed the all-party delegation with a resounding applause and enthusiasm. Hailing India's response against acts of terror perpetuated by Pakistan, the members of the Indian community expressed their heartfelt support.

The all-party delegation aims to brief international partners on India's response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack and its broader fight against cross-border terrorism.

Operation Sindoor was launched on May 7 as a decisive military response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack by Pak-sponsored terrorists in which 26 people were killed. Indian Armed Forces targeted terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir, leading to the death of over 100 terrorists affiliated with terror outfits like the Jaish-e-Mohammed, Lashkar-e-Taiba and Hizbul Mujahideen. (ANI)