A flight carrying an Indian all-party parliamentary delegation led by DMK MP Kanimozhi, en route to Moscow as part of India’s Operation Sindoor diplomatic outreach, was forced to circle mid-air on Thursday night due to an ongoing drone attack on the Russian capital.
The incident occurred as airspace over Moscow was disrupted amid an intense drone strike reportedly launched by Ukraine. Russian authorities said they intercepted 105 Ukrainian drones, with 35 targeting Moscow. Despite the disruption, the delegation’s flight landed safely at Domodedovo International Airport after a 45-minute delay.
“It circled in the air and later landed… she (Kanimozhi) landed safely,” a source close to the MP told PTI.
Kanimozhi is leading the Operation Sindoor delegation, tasked with explaining India’s strategic rationale behind its recent military action against terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK). The mission is aimed at countering Pakistan’s narrative internationally and highlighting its alleged sponsorship of terrorism.
The delegation includes:
-
Rajeev Rai (SP)
-
Mian Altaf Ahmad (NC)
-
Captain Brijesh Chowkta (BJP)
-
Prem Chand Gupta (RJD)
-
Ashok Kumar Mittal (AAP)
-
Jawed Ashraf (NCP)
-
Former Ambassador Manjeev Singh Puri
Besides Russia, the group is scheduled to visit Slovenia, Greece, Latvia, and Spain.
Following their arrival, the delegation met with First Deputy Chair of the Russian Federation Council’s Committee on Foreign Affairs, Andrey Denisov, and other senior senators. The Indian Embassy in Moscow shared images and updates from the engagement, emphasizing bilateral cooperation in the fight against terrorism.
“Together in the fight against terrorism!” the embassy posted on X, showcasing the unity of Indian lawmakers across party lines on the issue of national security.
Earlier in the day, India’s Ambassador to Russia, Vinay Kumar, had briefed the delegation on India-Russia ties, providing strategic context ahead of their diplomatic meetings.
According to Russia’s Defence Ministry, Thursday’s drone attack was one of the largest in recent memory. In addition to the 105 drones aimed at Russia, Moscow’s Mayor Sergei Sobyanin reported that 11 more drones were intercepted by air defence systems specifically targeting the capital.
Meanwhile, Ukraine’s air force claimed Russia had launched 128 drones into Ukrainian territory overnight, of which 112 were intercepted or neutralized.
This spike in drone warfare underscores the escalating intensity of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, which has entered its fourth year and now appears to be spilling into civilian airspace in major cities like Moscow.
Operation Sindoor was launched following a deadly terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Kashmir, which killed 26 tourists. The Indian government attributed the attack to Pakistan-backed terror groups, prompting a series of precision strikes on terror infrastructure across the border.
To gain global support and highlight the security threat posed by Pakistan, India dispatched all-party delegations to various countries under Operation Sindoor.
Thursday’s drone attack on Moscow and the delegation’s mid-air delay mark a tense geopolitical overlap between multiple global crises — South Asian terrorism, Russia-Ukraine drone warfare, and international diplomatic outreach.
