Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi has launched a sharp critique of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government’s stance on the Israel–Palestine conflict, accusing it of “profound silence” and an abdication of humanity and moral duty. She urged New Delhi to reclaim a leadership role in shaping discourse on the crisis.
Gandhi argued that India’s response appears to be shaped more by the personal rapport between Modi and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu than by constitutional values or long-term strategic interests. She warned that such personalized diplomacy cannot guide India’s foreign policy and cautioned that other nations relying on such an approach have seen it unravel disastrously.
In an op-ed titled “India’s muted voice, its detachment with Palestine,” she noted that more than 150 of the United Nations’ 193 member states have formally recognised a Palestinian state, and she positioned India’s past recognition—from 1988—as part of its moral and diplomatic legacy. But she asserted that the current government has all but relinquished leadership in the last two years.
Gandhi decried Israel’s military operations in Gaza as disproportionate and inhumane, citing over 55,000 Palestinian civilian deaths, including some 17,000 children. She described the destruction of infrastructure, and the obstruction of humanitarian supplies, as evidence of a crisis that calls into question India’s ethical standing.
She drew parallels with India’s past postures on global justice—citing the struggle against Apartheid, India’s early recognition of the PLO, and its support for decolonisation—as models the country must resurrect. Gandhi insisted that India must “translate empathy into principled action,” rather than permit its foreign policy to be driven by optics or bilateral affinity.
Her intervention comes amid increasing pressure on India from global allies to take a clearer position. Several major democracies, including the UK, Canada and Australia, have moved to recognise Palestine, placing India’s abstention on UN votes under scrutiny. Gandhi also noted India’s recent bilateral investment agreement with Israel, and its decision to host that country’s controversial finance minister, as indications of a tilt in diplomatic posture.
The Congress chairperson’s salvo has been echoed by party ranks. Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge described the government’s reticence as the “height of moral cowardice.” He urged Modi to issue a strong statement in line with India’s tradition of defending human dignity.
In response, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party and allies have accused Gandhi of populism and political opportunism. BJP spokespersons have defended India’s policy as calibrated to preserve strategic interests and diplomatic flexibility. They argue that India maintains ties with both Israel and Palestine and should not undermine its leverage with either side.
