New Delhi – Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi on India Foreign Policy sharply criticised the Modi government’s silence over the targeted assassination of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. In an article published in The Indian Express, Gandhi said the government’s inaction is not neutrality but an abdication that raises serious doubts about the credibility and direction of India’s foreign policy.
Silence on Iran Assassination Raises Questions
Gandhi condemned the government for not explicitly condemning the US-Israeli attack that killed Khamenei on March 1. She noted that while Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed “deep concern” about Iran’s retaliatory strikes on the UAE, he failed to address the broader sequence of events, which has caused unease among international partners and domestic observers.
“Sonia Gandhi on India Foreign Policy highlights that ignoring the targeted killing of a foreign leader, without defending sovereignty or international law, undermines India’s global credibility,” the article said.
Need for Parliamentary Debate
Gandhi stressed that the Indian Parliament must debate the government’s “disturbing silence” when it reconvenes for the second part of the Budget session. She argued that open discussion is necessary to ensure democratic accountability and to clarify India’s stance in an increasingly unstable West Asia.
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“The current government’s reticence on Iran is discordant with India’s stated principles of sovereign equality, non-intervention, and peaceful dispute resolution, which have historically defined our diplomatic identity,” she wrote.
Global and Strategic Implications
Sonia Gandhi pointed out that India’s relationships with both Tehran and Tel Aviv provide diplomatic space to urge restraint. However, credibility depends on India speaking from principle rather than expediency. “Sonia Gandhi on India Foreign Policy argues that failure to act with clarity compromises India’s ability to safeguard its citizens in the Gulf and weakens its role as a responsible global actor.”
She also reminded that India’s past foreign policy, including the Vajpayee government’s acknowledgment of strong civilisational ties with Iran, offers lessons in balancing strategic partnerships while maintaining moral authority.
Moral Leadership and Strategic Clarity
The Congress leader concluded that India must rediscover its moral strength to uphold international norms. She emphasized that a clear articulation of India’s position is overdue and that silence, in moments of global instability, is equivalent to abdication.
“Sonia Gandhi on India Foreign Policy calls for India to reaffirm its commitment to justice, peace, and dialogue, ensuring its diplomatic credibility and strategic leadership,” the article said.