GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 21st June: Congress leader Sonia Gandhi has strongly criticised the Indian government’s silence on the recent hostilities between Israel and Iran, calling it a “diplomatic lapse” and a betrayal of India’s “moral and strategic traditions.” In a sharply worded op-ed published in The Hindu, Gandhi condemned Israel’s June 13 military strike on Iranian territory as an “illegal and a violation of sovereignty,” warning that the escalating violence poses grave regional and global threats.
Describing the airstrike and Iran’s subsequent retaliatory response as a dangerous flashpoint in the Middle East, Gandhi wrote, “The Indian National Congress has condemned these bombings and targeted assassinations on Iranian soil… These actions will only deepen instability and sow the seeds of further conflict.”
Gandhi directly criticised Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for his role in escalating tensions and linked his political legacy to the 1995 assassination of Israeli PM Yitzhak Rabin, which she claimed “ended one of the most hopeful peace initiatives between Israelis and Palestinians.”
She also took aim at former U.S. President Donald Trump, accusing him of abandoning intelligence assessments in favour of “aggressive posturing” and drawing parallels with the lead-up to the Iraq War in 2003.
Highlighting India’s historic ties with both Israel and Iran, Gandhi called for a return to balance in New Delhi’s foreign policy. “Iran has been a long-standing friend to India… In 1994, Iran helped block a resolution critical of India at the UN on Kashmir. The Islamic Republic has been far more cooperative with India than the pro-Pakistan stance of the Shah’s regime during the 1965 and 1971 wars.”
She warned that the collapse of the 2015 Iran nuclear deal (JCPOA), following the U.S. withdrawal in 2018, had already damaged Indian strategic interests, especially the Chabahar Port and the North-South Transport Corridor.
Gandhi lamented the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, citing over 55,000 Palestinian deaths and massive civilian suffering. “Entire families, neighbourhoods, and even hospitals have been obliterated… Gaza stands on the brink of famine.”
In her concluding remarks, she urged the Modi government to break its silence and reassert India’s diplomatic voice. “New Delhi’s silence on the devastation in Gaza and now on the unprovoked escalation against Iran reflects a disturbing departure from our moral and diplomatic traditions. This is not just a loss of voice but a surrender of values,” she said. “It is still not too late. India must speak clearly, act responsibly, and use every diplomatic channel available to promote peace in West Asia.”
Gandhi’s remarks came hours after Iranian Deputy Chief of Mission in New Delhi, Mohammad Javad Hosseini, also called on India and other nations to condemn the Israeli strikes. Calling them a “breach of international law,” Hosseini said, “We believe every country including India should condemn it—not because of their relations with Iran but because these actions are in breach of global norms.”
