Congress Questions Modi Diplomacy as Pakistan Mediates US-Iran

New Delhi: The Congress party on Saturday launched a sharp critique of the Modi government's foreign policy, questioning how Pakistan secured a mediator role between the United States and Iran despite India's diplomatic efforts to isolate Islamabad following the April 2025 Pahalgam terror attack.

Jairam Ramesh Raises Questions on 'Huglomacy'

Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh, in a post on X, criticized what he termed as the failure of the self-declared Vishwaguru's huglomacy, an apparent reference to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's diplomatic style. His remarks came ahead of US Vice President JD Vance's arrival in Pakistan for crucial talks with an Iranian delegation led by Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf.

The US-Iran meeting in Islamabad has garnered global attention, with hopes for a durable peace process in West Asia. Ramesh, however, raised pointed questions about the government's diplomatic approach.

Comparisons with UPA Era

Ramesh drew comparisons with the Manmohan Singh government's response to the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, noting that the previous administration had effectively isolated Pakistan on the global stage. He questioned why the current government failed to achieve similar results despite high-profile campaigns like Namaste Trump and Howdy Modi.

Questions on BRICS+ Leadership

The Congress leader also questioned why India, as the current President of BRICS+, did not launch any peace or mediation initiative. He pointed out that Iran, UAE, and Saudi Arabia are BRICS+ members, which could have provided India with a platform for diplomatic engagement.

Ramesh further criticized what he called India's calibrated capitulation to China over the past eighteen months, especially given China's role in supporting Pakistan's response to Operation Sindoor.

Context of the Crisis

The US-Iran talks are taking place during a two-week ceasefire in the conflict that began when Washington and Tel Aviv launched attacks on Iran on February 28. The war has disrupted global oil supplies due to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, through which 20 percent of the world's energy supplies pass.

Ramesh noted that the conflict began just two days after PM Modi completed what he described as an ill-advised visit to Israel, calling for peace to return quickly to West Asia.