Congress slams Centre’s foreign policy, claims Pakistan not diplomatically isolated

The Congress on Monday intensified its criticism of the Centre’s foreign policy, with senior leader Jairam Ramesh alleging that India has failed to diplomatically isolate Pakistan amid shifting geopolitical developments.

In a strongly worded statement, Ramesh pointed to reports of Pakistan hosting a second round of talks between the United States and Iran, underscoring what he described as Islamabad’s increasing diplomatic relevance.

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Referring to earlier remarks by External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, he said, “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.”

Ramesh also drew attention to Pakistan’s fragile economic condition, noting that it has recently relied on financial assistance from Gulf nations to manage its debt. “Pakistan’s economy is clearly in dire straits and depends on largesse from friendly countries,” he said, while adding that despite these challenges, the country is “playing a pivotal diplomatic role.”

The Congress leader further accused Pakistan of continuing to support terrorism, citing the sheltering of Osama bin Laden and alleging involvement in past attacks, including the Pahalgam terror attack.

Targeting the government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Ramesh said the current approach to foreign policy has failed to build sustained international pressure on Pakistan. “It is abundantly clear that the substance and style of Prime Minister Modi’s regional and global engagement, as well as narrative management, have failed to isolate Pakistan,” he said.

Drawing a comparison with the previous United Progressive Alliance government, Ramesh claimed that former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had been more effective in shaping global opinion against Pakistan following the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks.

Ramesh also expressed concern over Pakistan Army Chief Asim Munir gaining traction internationally, particularly in the United States. He alleged that Munir’s remarks have heightened tensions and claimed that his perceived proximity to US President Donald Trump represents “a particularly severe setback for India.”

“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,” Ramesh said, terming it a “monumental setback” for India’s foreign policy.

Calling for a comprehensive overhaul of India’s diplomatic strategy, Ramesh said the current leadership is “simply incapable” of delivering the required reset.