The Congress on Monday slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s foreign policy approach, accusing the government of showing “blind devotion” to Israel and arguing that India’s national interest requires a more balanced stance in West Asia.
Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said reports of an upcoming agreement between the US and Iran to halt hostilities in the region were welcome, though official details remain awaited.
“The news that the US and Iran will be signing an agreement on June 19 in Geneva to halt hostilities in West Asia is to be welcomed, even though the full details are yet to be made public officially,” Ramesh said in a post on X.
“There is universal hope that the two countries (as also Israel) will abide by the accord, even though it is of an interim nature and that the accord will lead to a more permanent normalization,” he added.
Ramesh said the unrestricted reopening of the Strait of Hormuz would bring relief to India but cautioned that deeper economic challenges remain unresolved.
“While the unrestricted re-opening of the Strait of Hormuz will certainly bring great relief to India, it does not mean the structural problems the economy faces will soon be surmounted,” he said.
The Congress leader argued that India’s economic concerns predate the ongoing conflict in West Asia, which he said began shortly after Modi’s Israel visit.
“These concerns clearly predate the current war in West Asia that began just two days after Prime Minister Modi's visit to Israel. The rupee had been under considerable pressure for over a year and the gap between the demand and supply of dollars had been growing. Rates of private investment -- a most crucial determinant of GDP growth- have been tepid for many years,” Ramesh said.
He further criticised the government over wages, Chinese imports and the investment climate.
“This is the result of sluggish growth in demand that, in turn, is the outcome of stagnation in real wages over the past decade; Modi Government's failure to check the dumping of imports from China that has resulted in a record trade deficit and endangered growth of job-generating MSMEs in particular; overall investment climate vitiated by unchecked powers given to tax authorities and investigative agencies,” he said.
Ramesh also raised concerns over Pakistan’s growing diplomatic position and its strategic ties with China.
“Pakistan, which had been successfully isolated by India after its orchestration of the terror attacks in Mumbai in November 2008, now seems to have acquired a new regional and global influence,” he claimed.
“This, coupled with China's deep embedding in Pakistan's strategic apparatus, poses a formidable geo-political challenge for India's foreign policy,” Ramesh said.
Targeting Modi’s approach towards Israel, Ramesh said India needed to adopt a more balanced position.
“It is too much to expect Modi to rethink his blind devotion and unconditional support to Israel. But humanitarian considerations and long-standing commitments apart, our national interest demands greater balance than Modi has shown,” he said.
Ramesh’s remarks came after Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced that a peace deal between the US and Iran had been reached and would be formally signed in Switzerland on June 19.
In a post on X, Sharif said, “Following intensive talks, we are pleased to announce that the Peace Deal between the United States of America and the Islamic Republic of Iran has been REACHED.”
He added that both sides had agreed to the “immediate and permanent termination of military operations on all fronts, including in Lebanon.”
Sharif also thanked Qatar for its role in mediation efforts and appreciated both Washington and Tehran for pursuing diplomacy.
(With inputs from PTI)
