In a sharp critique of the Narendra Modi-led government, senior Indian Congress leader and former party president Sonia Gandhi has voiced strong disapproval over what she perceives as a fundamental shift in India’s foreign policy. She accused the current administration of abandoning its historically balanced approach towards West Asia by prioritizing close ties with Israel at the expense of long-standing strategic relations with Iran. This, she argues, represents a significant betrayal of India’s diplomatic traditions and national interests.
Gandhi’s remarks came in an opinion editorial published in a prominent Indian newspaper, where she expressed deep concern over New Delhi’s muted and cautious response to the recent assassination of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The killing, carried out in coordinated strikes reportedly involving the United States and Israel, has sent shockwaves across the region. Gandhi described the government’s silence not as a neutral stance but as an abdication of responsibility, highlighting it as a dangerous retreat from India’s principled diplomatic posture.
She elaborated on India’s historical foreign policy framework, which has traditionally maintained a careful balance between its relations with Israel and Iran. This equilibrium was based on both civilizational ties and mutual strategic interests, particularly with Tehran. Gandhi pointed out that Iran has played a crucial role in supporting key Indian infrastructure projects, such as the development of the Chabahar Port and the Zahedan connectivity corridor, which have significantly enhanced India’s access to Central Asia and Afghanistan, bypassing Pakistan.
Gandhi, the Modi government’s approach has disrupted this delicate balance. She criticized the administration for engaging in high-profile diplomatic visits to Israel without corresponding efforts to maintain dialogue and cooperation with Iran. Moreover, the government’s conspicuous silence in the aftermath of the assassination of a sitting foreign head of state marks a sharp departure from India’s traditionally cautious and even-handed diplomacy in the region. Gandhi argued that this one-sided alignment signals a preference for political optics and defense partnerships with Israel, as well as closer alignment with Western powers, over India’s broader national interests and ethical considerations.
She also highlighted the inconsistency in New Delhi’s official reactions, noting that the government condemned Iran’s retaliatory measures while neglecting to address the initial unprovoked attacks that triggered the escalation. This selective condemnation, Gandhi warned, undermines India’s credibility on the international stage and raises serious questions about the direction of its foreign policy. She emphasized that India’s failure to uphold principles of sovereignty and international law in this context amounts to “moral cowardice,” isolating the country from other Global South nations and key BRICS partners like Russia and China, who have maintained more balanced and measured responses focused on de-escalation and respect for territorial integrity.
Gandhi further challenged the Modi government to consider the long-term implications of its current stance. She questioned how other developing countries in the Global South can continue to trust India as a defender of their sovereignty and territorial integrity if it appears unwilling to uphold these principles today. As the Indian Parliament prepares to reconvene for the second phase of the Budget session, Gandhi called for an open and transparent debate on the government’s troubling silence and the broader consequences of the breakdown in international order. She urged lawmakers to hold the administration accountable and to reaffirm India’s commitment to a balanced and principled foreign policy that respects sovereignty and promotes regional stability.
