Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi came under fire from the opposition after reports emerged that Pakistan is positioning itself as the “lead mediator” to broker an end to the US-Israeli war against Iran.
The Financial Times reported on Monday that Pakistan’s Army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir spoke to US President Donald Trump on Sunday pitching Islamabad as a possible venue for talks, citing people briefed on the call.
Meanwhile, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif held talks with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Monday.
The negotiations — involving senior figures from the Trump administration and Iran — could begin as early as this week, the FT report said.
Rahul Gandhi calls Modi’s foreign policy a ‘joke’
In the light of reports of Pakistan’s emerging role in global diplomacy, Congress Party leader Rahul Gandhi called India’s foreign policy under Modi a “joke.”
“Our foreign policy is Prime Minister Modi’s personal foreign policy. You can see the result of this. It’s a universal joke. Everybody considers it a universal joke,” Gandhi said, according to The Times of India newspaper.
Senior Congress party leader Pawan Khera posted on X that while Modi was busy lauding himself at home, “Pakistan was positioning itself at the diplomatic table during a critical global moment.”
Member of the Parliament and Congress leader Jairam Ramesh also called out Modi’s policies.
“In spite of our undoubted military successes in Operation Sindoor, the sad reality is that thereafter Pakistan’s diplomatic engagement and narrative management has been markedly superior to that of the Modi Govt,” he posted on X.
Modi says India communicating with Iran, Israel, and the US
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Modi said on Tuesday that India is maintaining diplomatic channels “to reach a peaceful solution as soon as possible” in the Middle East.
Addressing the upper house of Parliament, Modi said New Delhi is “in communication with Iran, Israel, and the US.”
“We have also spoken to them about de-escalation and the opening of the Strait of Hormuz,” he said.
Modi also urged Indians to brace for the long-term economic impact of the ongoing US-Iran conflict, warning of potential disruptions to energy supplies and inflation.
He said the government was working to safeguard national interests and maintain stability, while calling for preparedness in the face of prolonged uncertainty.
The government has set up seven empowered groups to monitor fuel, supply chains and inflation, according to the PM, while urging states to prevent black marketing and protect vulnerable populations.
Edited by: Wesley Dockery
