New Delhi: The Congress on Friday claimed that the “biggest failure” of the government’s foreign policy was its inability to arrange meetings of its delegations sent abroad with heads of states or influential people and asked what the country got out of the exercise.
The opposition party alleged that India is being “insulted” all over the world due to the “failed foreign policy” of the Modi government.
Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate said Canada did not invite India for the G-7 meeting, US President Donald Trump is constantly taking credit for the “ceasefire” between India and Pakistan, India has become isolated and “our all-weather friends are distancing themselves from us”.
The party’s social media department head also claimed that big countries are being seen in India’s enemy’s camp and Pakistan which “we had completely sidelined is roaming around like a hero today”.
“It is getting the opportunity to be represented in global institutions, global institutions are giving it financial aid. Prime Minister Narendra Modi did not even glance towards Kashmir in the last 45 days, but today he has reached Kashmir to cut the ribbon,” Shrinate said at a press conference at the Indira Gandhi Bhawan here.
In such a situation, many questions arise in the mind of the whole country, she said.
“After being in power for more than 11 years and visiting more than 90 countries, we have gained nothing due to the failed foreign policy of Narendra Modi,” she alleged.
Referring to the multi-party diplomatic delegations that visited various countries to convey India’s stand following Operation Sindoor, she said, “When you represent the country overseas, you are restrained. There are many things you want to say, but you can’t on foreign soil. The delegations might not have been able to say, but we certainly will.”
“The question we are raising is this: these delegations went overseas, and it turned out to be a complete failure of our foreign policy, as we were not able to get them a single meeting with people of consequence,” Shrinate said.
How many countries have spoken in our favour after these delegation trips, she asked.
“How many have denounced Pakistan? Kuwait has lifted a 19-year ban on Pakistani visas. How is that okay? The delegations have come back and admitted that they acted as India’s ambassadors there and couldn’t speak much on these issues, but back home they will raise them,” she said.
Interestingly, most of these delegations were made to meet people of Indian origin, Indian embassies and high commissions, Shrinate pointed out.
Most of the delegations were able to meet only an under secretary, a former minister, a state level minister, she said.
“How about the government addressing its own Parliament? They don’t want to call a special session, but they want to address Indians overseas. What kind of doublespeak is this? And what have we achieved with these delegations?” she said.
“I have highlighted a string of policy failures, owing to the complete collapse of our foreign policy and for which India is paying a huge price,” she added.
The leaders of these delegations were seen addressing people of Indian origin and those working in our embassy, Shrinate said and added that they visited museums, UNESCO World Heritage Site, churches, there was singing and dancing and there were big dinners.
“In such a situation, the question is that – what concrete achievement did we get from this? Why could you not arrange a meeting of the delegation with the heads of states? How many countries came out in our favour and issued a statement? How many countries condemned Pakistan, which gives shelter to terrorists?” she said.
How many countries are openly standing with us, she went on to ask.
According to Shrinate, Trump has said nine times in videos and posted twice on X that he got a ceasefire done between India and Pakistan by threatening the two countries with stopping trade.
“This is a threat to our sovereignty, but ‘sindoor ke saudagar’ is silent against it, not a single word is coming out of his mouth,” she said in a swipe against the prime minister.
The prime minister is ready to talk on everything, but is not saying anything against these statements of Trump, she said.
The situation is such that now even Russia also believes that the US mediated a ceasefire, Shrinate said, referring to a claim made by Vladimir Putin’s aide that the recent conflict between India and Pakistan figured during a phone call between the Russian president and Trump and that the hostilities were “stopped with the personal participation” of the US president.
“But even today no one knows… why was the ceasefire done? What were the conditions of the ceasefire? Why were the hands of our army tied? The reality is that the silence of the ‘surrender’ prime minister is screaming that he has done the ceasefire under pressure,” Shrinate said.
Before 2014, India had isolated Pakistan and started treating it like a terrorist country, she claimed.
“The valour and courage of our army defeated Pakistan. But the failed policy of Narendra Modi made Pakistan a hero by agreeing to a ceasefire and surrendering before Donald Trump,” she alleged.
Noting that it has been 45 days since the terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Shrinate said, “I am proud to say that after 26/11, we killed every terrorist one by one. Those who were arrested by our brave soldiers were also hanged. But the cruel terrorists of Pahalgam have not been arrested yet.”
“Where are those people? Has the earth swallowed them or has the sky eaten them up? Until those terrorists are arrested, the martyrs’ families will not get justice.
