Salman Khurshid: Another Shashi Tharoor In The Making ? Senior Congress Leader Categorically Says There Was No Third Party Intervention In Ceasefire

Recently, senior Congress leader Salman Khurshid dismissed speculation of any third-party role in the ceasefire between India and Pakistan in 2021. His statement has received publicity when Union Minister Kiren Rijiju made a statement on X (previously known as Twitter) about his position with a strongly worded statement in the critical question, X. After all, Salman Khurshid Sahab is a mature leader... but sometimes maturity isn't proportional to age. Once again, the back-and-forth issue has shed light on the importance of responsible commentary on national issues.

After all Salman Khurshid sahab is a matured leader who has the ability to understand the nuances and seriousness of the matter. But sometimes maturity doesn't come proportionate with the age. pic.twitter.com/Z6HoNjKRo5

— Kiren Rijiju (@KirenRijiju) July 31, 2025

Khurshid’s Take: Dismissing the Mediation Narrative

Salman Khurshid refuted with certainty that there was foreign or external mediation of the ceasefire in 2021 between India and Pakistan. It is a mature political strategy, and his comments were probably aimed at reducing the surfacing of political sounds. According to him, there was no mediation whatsoever, as sovereignty and bilateralism are key factors involved in such delicate matters of diplomacy. The long-time Congressman appeared to stress that complicated regional problems should be solved in the regional custody rather than by global mediators.

The Shadow of International Politics in Domestic Discourse

When some backchannel discussions involving the UAE were reported, the hypothesis of a third-party involvement gained momentum. Although there was no official verification that followed, the issue was accommodated in the political jargon. The terse remark by Rijiju made it clear that Khurshid could be missing out on the nuances of contemporary diplomacy, even as he is an experienced leader. However, the reaction of Khurshid illustrates the juggling act that older politicians are trying to undertake about national interest, as well as not adding fuel to political fires.

Khurshid’s Evolving Image: The Next Shashi Tharoor?

A few political commentators are seeing similarities in Salman Khurshid and Shashi Tharoor, both because they are eloquent, intellectual members of the Congress party and because they are getting through a new political phase. Khurshid has been an academic and a lawyer, and the tone is in line with a new style of considered opposition politics. It remains to be seen whether this will reflect as a political renewal or national power, but things are taking shape towards a change.