New Delhi, Feb 28, (UNI) Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Saturday sharply criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his recent visit to Israel, describing it as “shameful” in light of the joint military strike launched by Israel and the United States on Iran.
In a strongly worded statement, Ramesh said the escalation was “fully expected” given the military build-up by the two allies in recent months, and accused the Prime Minister of displaying “the highest moral cowardice” by proceeding with the visit.
“Two days after Mr. Modi celebrated his visit to Israel, Israel and the US have begun their joint assault on Iran,” Ramesh said. “This was fully expected given their military build-up in the last few months. Mr. Modi nevertheless chose to go to Israel, where he displayed the highest moral cowardice.”
Ramesh further alleged that the Prime Minister publicly declared India’s support for Israel during the visit and accepted an award, even as tensions in West Asia were reaching a breaking point.
“He declared that India stood with Israel and got himself an award for saying so,” Ramesh said. “This Israel visit was shameful and it is even more so in light of the war that has been launched by two of Mr. Modi’s ‘good friends.’”
Israel and the United States launched coordinated strikes on Iranian targets earlier this week, marking a significant escalation in the long-simmering confrontation between the two sides. The conflict follows months of heightened tensions, including military mobilization and sharp exchanges of rhetoric over Iran’s regional activities and nuclear programme.
India has historically maintained strategic ties with both Israel and Iran, balancing defence cooperation with Israel and longstanding civilizational and economic links with Iran. New Delhi has also deepened its partnership with the United States in recent years, particularly in the areas of defence, technology, and Indo-Pacific strategy.
Prime Minister Modi has cultivated close personal ties with leaders in Washington and Tel Aviv, projecting India as a key global partner. His visit to Israel was marked by high-level meetings and public expressions of solidarity.
Ramesh said the timing of the visit and the optics surrounding it undermined India’s traditional diplomatic posture of strategic autonomy.
“India has historically followed an independent foreign policy rooted in non-alignment and strategic balance,” he said. “To so openly align with one side at a moment of impending war raises serious questions about our moral standing and diplomatic judgment.”
The Congress party has previously accused the government of departing from India’s legacy of balanced engagement in West Asia.
As the conflict unfolds, political debate in India is likely to intensify over the country’s positioning in a rapidly shifting geopolitical landscape. UNI SKA AAB
