Last Updated on March 2, 2026 7:42 pm by INDIAN AWAAZ
As tensions continue to rise in the Middle East, the Congress has demanded greater transparency from the government and a clear roadmap to safeguard India’s diplomatic interests and the safety of its citizens abroad
Staff Reporter / New Delhi
India’s principal opposition party, the Congress, has strongly condemned the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Hosseini Khamenei in an Israeli military strike, calling it an “unequivocal assassination carried out without a formal declaration of war.”
In a statement issued late Sunday, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge described the targeted strike as a dangerous escalation in the Middle East and warned that such actions threaten global stability. He said the party firmly opposes any act that undermines international law and sovereign integrity.
Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi termed the killing “despicable” in a post on social media platform X, and criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi for what she described as aligning too closely with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and U.S. President Donald Trump. She urged the government to prioritize the safe evacuation of Indian nationals from conflict-hit regions.
The Congress also described the Modi government’s response to the unfolding war in Iran as a betrayal of “India’s values, principles, concerns and interests.” The party questioned the timing of Mr. Modi’s recent visit to Israel, stating that it came amid widespread anticipation of a U.S.-Israel military strike aimed at regime change in Iran.
Congress General Secretary (Communications) Jairam Ramesh said the Prime Minister’s address to the Israeli Parliament, the Knesset, was “a display of shameful moral cowardice,” adding that the assault on Iran began just two days after Mr. Modi concluded his visit.
Congress Says India Paying Price for ‘Substance and Style’ of Modi Doctrine
Escalating its criticism, the Congress alleged that India is now paying a “heavy price” for what it termed the flawed “substance and style” of the Modi government’s foreign policy.
Mr. Ramesh said that despite claims of India emerging as a “Vishwaguru,” recent geopolitical developments have exposed vulnerabilities in New Delhi’s diplomatic strategy. He referred to remarks by U.S. President Donald Trump praising Pakistan’s military leadership, including Field Marshal Asim Munir and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, after Islamabad’s military actions in Afghanistan.
According to the Congress leader, repeated claims by Mr. Trump that he secured a halt to India’s Operation Sindoor through tariff threats have dented India’s global standing. He also criticized the recent U.S.-India trade agreement, alleging that India agreed to liberalise agricultural imports without securing equivalent commitments from Washington.
The party reiterated that the Centre’s position on the war in Iran, including its response to targeted assassinations, reflects a departure from India’s traditional foreign policy principles of non-alignment and strategic autonomy.
As tensions continue to rise in the Middle East, the Congress has demanded greater transparency from the government and a clear roadmap to safeguard India’s diplomatic interests and the safety of its citizens abroad