Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi has strongly criticised the Narendra Modi government for its “disturbing silence”over the assassination of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in a coordinated strike by US and Israeli forces.
In an article published in The Indian Express, Gandhi called for a discussion on the issue in parliament when the Budget session resumes.
“The killing of a sitting head of state in the midst of ongoing negotiations marks a grave rupture in contemporary international relations,” Gandhi wrote. “Yet, beyond the shock of the event, what stands out equally starkly is New Delhi's silence.”
She stressed the urgent need for India to reclaim its moral strength and communicate it with clarity and resolve.
India has refrained from condemning Khamenei's killing and has, instead, urged all parties to exercise restraint and avoid escalation, while asserting that the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all nations must be respected.
“Initially, ignoring the massive US-Israeli onslaught, the Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) confined himself to condemning Iran's retaliatory strike on the UAE without addressing the sequence of events that preceded it. Later, he uttered platitudes about his 'deep concern' and talked of 'dialogue and diplomacy' -- which is precisely what was underway before the massive unprovoked attacks launched by Israel and the US,” Gandhi said.
She emphasised that when the targeted killing of a foreign leader goes unchallenged in terms of sovereignty or international law, and impartiality is abandoned, it raises serious doubts about the direction and credibility of India's foreign policy.
“Silence, in this case, is not neutral,” she asserted.
Citing Article 2(4) of the United Nations Charter, Gandhi pointed out that the targeted killing of a sitting head of state directly undermines these core principles.
She also criticised Modi’s recent visit to Israel and his unequivocal support for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government, especially as the Gaza conflict continues to provoke global outrage over civilian casualties.
“At a time when much of the Global South, along with major powers and India's partners in BRICS such as Russia and China, have kept their distance, India's high-profile political endorsement without moral clarity marks a visible and troubling departure,” she said.
Gandhi further recalled that former BJP Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, during an official visit to Tehran, had warmly reaffirmed India’s deep, civilisational and contemporary ties with Iran.
She stated that India’s civilisational ethos, embodied in the phrase Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, is not merely a slogan for ceremonial diplomacy. Rather, it represents a deep commitment to justice, restraint, and dialogue, even when upholding these values proves inconvenient.
"At moments when the rules-based order is under visible strain, silence is abdication," she said.
