ISTANBUL

The Indian government has come under criticism Tuesday for failing to condemn the US-Israeli airstrikes on Iran, which killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and 786 others, including school children.

The South Asian nation’s main opposition party, the Indian National Congress, criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his visit to Israel as “ill-timed” amid escalating hostilities involving Israel, Iran and the US.

Modi visited Israel last week, where he met his counterpart and addressed the Israeli parliament, two days before Israel and the US launched strikes against Iran on Saturday.

Congressional leader Rahul Gandhi said the government’s silence on recent military exchanges “undermined” India’s longstanding foreign policy principles that are “rooted in sovereignty and the peaceful resolution of disputes.”

In a post on US social media company X, Gandhi said escalating tensions were pushing “a fragile region toward wider conflict,” affecting millions of Indians living and working in the Middle East.

“The unilateral attacks on Iran, as well as Iran’s attacks on other Middle Eastern nations, must be condemned,” said Gandhi.

Amid rising voices against US-Israeli action within India, Modi called for peace and stability Tuesday in the Middle East.

He also spoke to leaders of Gulf nations and condemned Iranian retaliation for the weekend strikes on Tehran.

Indian Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Sanjay Singh also criticized the government’s silence on the US–Israel strikes. “Say something about the tyranny of America and Israel, Modi ji … Global dictator America’s tyranny will spread all over the world,” he said.

Communist Party of India (CPI) leader D. Raja condemned the “unilateral” US–Israel strikes on Iran, saying, “These acts constitute a grave violation of international law and the fundamental principles of the United Nations Charter.”

​New Delhi reiterates call for dialogue

The Indian Ministry of External Affairs on Tuesday issued a fresh statement, expressing "deep concern" about the conflict.

Reiterating a call for dialogue and an early end to the conflict, the ministry said, "Unfortunately, in the holy month of Ramadan, the situation in the region has deteriorated significantly and continuously."

"As a proximate neighbor with critical stakes in the security and stability of the region, these developments evoke great anxiety," it said, adding that the safety of nearly 10 million Indians living in the Gulf region was of the "utmost priority" for the Modi government.

"Our trade and energy supply chains also traverse this geography. Any major disruption has serious consequences for the Indian economy ... Already, some Indian nationals have lost their lives or are missing as a result of such attacks in the last few days," it added.

Since the US and Israel initiated a military campaign against Iran, Tehran has retaliated with drone and missile attacks targeting US-linked sites in Gulf countries, causing multiple fatalities. Six US service members have been killed and many others have been injured.