Veteran Congress leader Sonia Gandhi has questioned the government's silence on the assassination of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, claiming that it is a "abdication" rather than a "neutral" response. The former UPA spokesperson wrote in a column for The Indian Express that Delhi's relations with Tehran are "civilisational as well as strategic" and reminded the Narendra Modi administration of the several times Iran has supported India.

The Center has urged moderation and de-escalation in the Middle East but has not released a statement after Khamenei's passing. According to government sources, diplomatic replies put the interests of the country first and the government's calibrated stance is similar to that of major international powers.

"On March 1, Iran announced that its Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Seyed Ali Hosseini Khamenei, had been killed in targeted attacks by Israel and the United States the day before. Gandhi stated, "The assassination of a sitting head of state during ongoing negotiations marks a grave rupture in contemporary international relations, and Delhi's silence stands out equally starkly."At first, the Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) limited himself to denouncing Iran's retaliatory strike on the UAE without addressing the series of events that preceded it, disregarding the tremendous US-Israeli offensive. Later, he spoke platitudes about his "deep concern" and discussed "dialogue and diplomacy," which is exactly what was going on prior to the US and Israel launching enormous, unjustified assaults, according to Gandhi.

"When the targeted killing of a foreign leader draws no clear defence of sovereignty or international law from our country and impartiality is abandoned, it raises serious doubts about the direction and credibility of our foreign policy," she stated.
She noted that the assassination was carried out during a diplomatic process and without a formal declaration of war, and she commented that it is easier to normalize the deterioration of international rules if such acts go unchallenged by the largest democracy in the world."The timing adds to the discomfort. Gandhi stated, "Just 48 hours prior to the assassination, the Prime Minister returned from a trip to Israel, where he reaffirmed his unwavering support for Benjamin Netanyahu's government, even as the Gaza conflict continues to draw international outrage over the scale of civilian casualties, many of them women and children."
A reminder on Kashmir was added by the head of the Congress Parliamentary Party. "In 1994, Tehran played a significant role in thwarting an attempt by parts of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation to push a resolution against India at the UN Commission on Human Rights on Kashmir. At a critical juncture in India's economic development, that involvement assisted in preventing the internationalization of the Kashmir dispute," she stated.

"Iran has also enabled India's diplomatic presence in Zahedan near the Pakistan border -a strategic counter-balance to the development of Gwadar port and the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor," she stated.The current administration would be wise to keep in mind that during an official visit to Tehran in April 2001, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the prime minister at the time, warmly reaffirmed India's strong cultural and modern links with Iran. "His acknowledgement of those long-standing relations seems to hold no relevance for our current government," Gandhi stated.India and Israel have developed closer connections in the areas of technology, agriculture, and defense in recent years. India has the diplomatic leeway to advocate for moderation precisely because it keeps ties with both Tehran and Tel Aviv.However, credibility is a prerequisite for such area. The idea that India talks from conviction rather than expediency is what gives it credibility, she added.
Gandhi added that the sheer number of Indians who have settled in the area makes it a strategic requirement. Almost ten million Indians reside and work throughout the Gulf. India's ability to protect its citizens has depended on its credibility as an independent actor, not as a proxy, in previous crises, such as the Gulf War, Yemen, Iraq, and Syria, she contended.
Gandhi stated that "the optics of acquiescence carry real costs" for India, which aspires to represent the Global South. "Why should countries in Global South trust India to defend their territorial integrity tomorrow if it appears hesitant to defend that principle today?"The globe is one family. "India has long invoked the ideal of vasudhaiva kutumbakam." That civilizational ethos suggests a dedication to fairness, moderation, and communication, even when doing so is inconvenient; it is not a catchphrase for ceremonial diplomacy. Gandhi stated, "Silence is abdication when the rules-based order is clearly under strain."