Pakistan's role in the US–Iran peace talks and Asim Munir becoming a "huge favourite" of US President Donald Trump represents a "monumental setback" for India, the opposition Congress said on Monday.
The ‘dalal’ country, as the erudite and always nattily dressed External Affairs Minister described it, is reportedly hosting the second round of US-Iran peace talks today.
— Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) April 20, 2026
After the completion of the first round of these talks on April 12th, Pakistan borrowed $6 billion from…
India needs a complete overhaul of its diplomatic engagement strategy, but Prime Minister Narendra Modi is "simply incapable" of it, the principal opposition party said. The US and Iran held rare direct talks in Islamabad, Pakistan, on April 11 and 12, aimed at ending their conflict, but the talks concluded without an agreement.
Congress General Secretary (Communications) Jairam Ramesh declared on X: "The 'dalal' country, as the erudite and always nattily dressed External Affairs Minister described it, is reportedly hosting the second round of US–Iran peace talks today."
After the completion of the first round of these talks on April 12, Pakistan borrowed USD 6 billion from Saudi Arabia and Qatar to repay a USD 3.5 billion loan taken from the UAE and to retire a USD 1.43 billion tranche of Eurobonds, he pointed out. Pakistan's economy is clearly in dire straits and depends on largesse given to it by friendly countries, the Congress leader said.
"But it is, for now, playing a pivotal diplomatic role after having given sanctuary to Osama bin Laden and other terrorists, bombing drug rehabilitation centres in Afghanistan, and most recently orchestrating the Pahalgam terror attack a year ago," the Congress leader said.
It is abundantly clear that the substance and style of Prime Minister Modi's regional and global engagement and narrative management have failed to isolate Pakistan, which has received a whole new branding—different from what Dr Manmohan Singh had been able to achieve after the terror attacks in Mumbai in November 2008, Ramesh said.
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"That Field Marshal Asim Munir—whose provocative and inflammatory remarks provided the oxygen for the Pahalgam terror attack—has become such a huge favourite of President Trump is a particularly severe setback for India," the Congress leader said. "That the Field Marshal and his colleagues seem to have succeeded in managing the Trump ecosystem of family and associates much better than India is obvious. It is a monumental setback for Mr Modi's foreign policy," Ramesh added.
Donald Trump has announced a fresh round of talks, raising hopes of extending a two-week ceasefire that expires on Wednesday. Trump has announced that American negotiators will be in Islamabad on Monday for peace talks with Iran.
