New Delhi: Congress accused the government on Sunday of betraying India’s core values, principles, and interests in its handling of the US-Israel war on Iran, asserting that the country is bearing a steep cost due to both the substance and style of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s foreign policy.
In a pointed attack, Congress general secretary in-charge of communications Jairam Ramesh mocked Modi as the “self-styled Vishwaguru,” whose approach to diplomacy has been “brutally exposed” despite relentless praise from the PM’s cheerleaders, including himself.
“Modi visited Israel on February 25-26, 2026, at a time when the entire world was aware that a US-Israel military attack on Iran for regime change was imminent. The assault began just two days after Mr. Modi left Israel where his speech to the Knesset was a display of shameful moral cowardice,” Ramesh posted on X.
His comments followed reports of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s death in an air strike by Israel and the US on his Tehran compound, as per state media. The 86-year-old cleric’s killing has intensified regional tensions.
Ramesh broadened his criticism of the Modi government’s foreign policy, saying: “The US President continues his romance with Pakistan, applauding again and again the very man whose inflammatory remarks provided the backdrop to the terror attacks in Pahalgam on April 22, 2025. The US has also categorically come out in support of Pakistan’s war on Afghanistan.”
He highlighted Trump’s repeated claims of intervening to stop India’s Operation Sindoor on May 10, 2025, through threats of higher tariffs on Indian exports. “But the PM is completely silent on these assertions of President Trump. The first announcement of the halt to Operation Sindoor was made by the US Secretary of State Marco Rubio at 5:37 PM on May 10, 2025,” Ramesh noted.
Ramesh also targeted the India-US trade deal, announced by Trump on February 2, 2026, as finalized at Modi’s request and effective immediately. “That this was a desperate move by Mr. Modi who was attempting to divert the headlines from the issues raised by Rahul Gandhi in Parliament is clearly obvious,” he alleged.
Eighteen days later, the US Supreme Court deemed Trump’s tariff strategy underpinning the deal illegal and unconstitutional — a widely anticipated ruling. “The trade deal itself is now widely acknowledged as being one-sided, with India making firm pledges to significantly liberalise imports (including of agricultural commodities especially) with no corresponding pledges by the US on increased imports from India,” Ramesh added.
The US has insisted India committed to halting Russian oil purchases, but the Modi government has offered no clarification. Ramesh recalled Modi’s June 19, 2020, public “clean chit” to China amid the Ladakh border clash that martyred 20 Indian soldiers, arguing it undermined negotiations and now compels India to normalize ties on Beijing’s terms.
“The nation is paying a heavy price for both the substance and style of Mr. Modi’s foreign policy,” he concluded.
On Saturday, Congress condemned the US-Israel attacks on Iran, calling on India to de-escalate hostilities and safeguard Indians in the Middle East, amid Trump’s call for Iranians to rise against their post-1979 leadership.
