A growing rift inside Congress over the West Asia conflict reveals sharp differences on India’s foreign policy, with senior leaders backing the government even as the party leadership questions New Delhi’s moral and strategic stance.
A fresh rift has surfaced within the Congress over India’s response to the escalating conflict in West Asia, with senior leaders Manish Tewari and Shashi Tharoor backing the Centre’s cautious approach even as the party leadership sharpens its criticism.
Congress MP Manish Tewari backed the government’s stance, arguing that India has limited stakes in the region’s conflicts and should remain careful in its positioning.
“It’s important to understand that there is not one war which is happening in West Asia. There are multiple wars which are taking place,” he said.
Calling the conflict involving Iran, Israel and the United States complex, Tewari added, “Well, it’s not our war. We’ve always been rather marginal players in the greater Middle East.”
He argued that India’s current approach reflects strategic thinking. “If we are circumspect, I think probably we are doing the right thing, because that is really what strategic autonomy is about.”
Shashi Tharoor also endorsed the government’s handling of the situation, describing it as an exercise in “responsible statecraft” rather than a failure of moral positioning.
In a newspaper column, he wrote that while the conflict raises concerns under international law, India’s restraint reflects “strategic prudence and a clear-eyed assessment of national interest”.
He added that silence should not be seen as support for military action and cautioned against what he called rhetorical moralism.
The remarks stand in contrast to the Congress leadership’s position. Party president Mallikarjun Kharge, along with Rahul Gandhi, Jairam Ramesh and Pawan Khera, have questioned the government’s response, particularly on Israeli military actions and reports of targeted killings in Iran.
Rahul Gandhi has argued that India must clearly oppose unilateral military action, while other leaders have warned that silence risks diluting India’s long-standing foreign policy principles.
Since the conflict escalated, India has consistently called for “dialogue and diplomacy” while also condemning Iranian strikes across the Gulf. At the same time, New Delhi has stepped up engagement with Tehran to secure oil and gas supplies through the Strait of Hormuz, a key global energy route.
This is not the first time differences have emerged within the Congress on foreign policy. Similar tensions were visible during Operation Sindoor, when Tharoor’s support for the government’s diplomatic outreach drew criticism from within the party.
