Modi's 'unqualified praise' for Netanyahu 'morally atrocious': Congress

In a dramatic turn on the global diplomatic stage, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s warm endorsement of the first phase of US President Donald Trump’s West Asia peace plan has sparked a fierce political backlash at home, with the Congress Party condemning his remarks as “shameful and morally atrocious.”

The storm broke after Modi, in a post on X, hailed Donald Trump’s diplomatic initiative and lauded Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s “strong leadership,” moments after the unveiling of a landmark truce between Israel and Hamas — the first glimmer of respite in Gaza’s two-year-long inferno.

“We welcome the agreement on the first phase of President Trump’s peace plan. This is also a reflection of the strong leadership of PM Netanyahu,” Modi wrote, adding that India hoped the release of hostages and increased humanitarian aid “would bring respite to the people of Gaza and pave the way for lasting peace.”

The comments, however, drew sharp rebuke from Congress leaders, who accused the prime minister of moral blindness and abandoning India’s long-standing support for Palestinian statehood.

प्रधानमंत्री ने गाज़ा को लेकर नए घटनाक्रम का स्वागत किया है और राष्ट्रपति ट्रंप की सराहना की है। ऐसा करने की उनकी उत्सुकता आश्चर्यजनक नहीं है।लेकिन जो वास्तव में चौंकाने वाला, शर्मनाक और नैतिक रूप से घोर आपत्तिजनक है, वह है प्रधानमंत्री मोदी द्वारा इज़राइली प्रधानमंत्री नेतन्याहू…

— Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) October 9, 2025

Israel and Hamas agree on first-phase peace deal, hostages set for release

Congress general secretary (communications) Jairam Ramesh said Modi’s unqualified praise for Netanyahu — a leader widely accused of presiding over atrocities in Gaza — was “shocking, shameful, and morally atrocious.”

“The prime minister’s eagerness to hail this so-called peace deal is not surprising,” Ramesh said in a strongly worded statement. “But what is truly disgraceful is his unqualified praise for Mr Netanyahu, who has unleashed a genocide in Gaza over the past twenty months.”

He further criticised Modi’s “total silence” on the question of an independent, sovereign State of Palestine, which India had officially recognised in November 1988 and which now enjoys recognition from over 150 countries worldwide.

“Modi has said nothing about the continued expansion of illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank or the future of the Palestinian people,” Ramesh added.

The first phase of Trump’s peace plan, announced earlier this week, envisions a temporary halt to hostilities between Israel and Hamas, a phased release of hostages held by the militant group, and the gradual withdrawal of Israeli troops from parts of Gaza. The move has been hailed by Washington as a “giant leap toward peace”, even as sceptics warn that deep-rooted mistrust and political divisions could undermine its longevity.

While Modi’s statement aligns India with the United States and Israel in welcoming the deal, it underscores a significant shift from India’s traditionally balanced position — one that supported Israel’s right to security while steadfastly backing the Palestinian cause.

As global leaders cautiously applaud the fragile peace, the domestic political debate in India highlights a deeper ideological rift — between realpolitik and moral principle — as the tragedy of Gaza continues to haunt the conscience of the world.

With PTI inputs