Shashi Tharoor leads "very pleasant" standing committee meeting Swedish delegation, says "part of building friendly relations"

New Delhi [India], March 4 (ANI): Congress leader and Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on External Affairs, Shashi Tharoor led "friendly and positive" discussions with the Swedish Parliamentary Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs where they discussed building friendly relations between the two parliaments.
"It was a very pleasant, friendly, positive discussion where the members of the Swedish Foreign Affairs Committee had some questions for us, and members of the Indian Foreign Affairs Committee responded on everything from gender equality to representation of women in parliaments, to the India-China border, to the US-China relationship. It's a very wide and stimulating discussion. It's part of the building up of friendly relations between the two parliaments," Tharoor told ANI on Tuesday.
Further, the Thiruvananthapuram MP also said that he has requested MEA to expedite the return of the mortal remains of Thomas Gabriel, the Indian national who was killed by Jordanian security forces while trying to illegally cross the border into Israel.
"I have written to the Ministry of External Affairs and to the embassy requesting urgent action to expedite the return of the mortal remains of Thomas Gabriel to his family in Tiruvannamalai," Tharoor added.
Earlier on February 27, the Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee (PSC) on External Affairs said that a very detailed discussion was held in the committee meeting held in the Parliament House Annex on topics ranging from the Government of India's development aid budget to the opening of new embassies and consulates.
The committee recorded oral evidence of the Ministry of External Affairs representatives on 'Demands for Grants of the Ministry for the year 2025-26.
The meeting was attended by the Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on External Affairs, Shashi Tharoor, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, and other officials of the External Affairs Ministry. (ANI)