Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Thursday expressed disappointment over Pakistan emerging as one of the key players in the mediation efforts surrounding the ongoing conflict in West Asia. He said that India, given its international stature and ties with both sides, should have taken the diplomatic lead. Reacting to reports of Pakistan, Turkey and Egypt engaging in backchannel efforts between the United States and Iran, Tharoor said he had backed the Indian government's cautious posture earlier, expecting New Delhi to step in with a constructive peace initiative.
"Right now, sorry to say that things are not looking so good. It is a bit embarrassing for all of us...One of the reasons that I supported the government’s restraint and silence on this Iran war was because I hoped that the government would use this to create a space for peacemaking and be a leading voice for peace, as PM Modi has often said India should be," Tharoor remarked. He added that the current outcome falls short of those expectations. "But ironically, we see that it is Pakistan that is leading the effort with Turkey and Egypt to do mediation. I can't be happy about that."
'India gets no credit while Pakistan leads talks'
Tharoor said he had repeatedly urged India to use its diplomatic goodwill to push for meaningful dialogue among the involved nations. He emphasised that New Delhi's balanced relationships could have given it a unique advantage in launching a peace initiative. "Look, if there are peace talks in Pakistan, India has nothing to do with it. I have been calling for almost three weeks now for India to take a leading stand, leveraging its good relations with both sides into a peace initiative. Now, apparently, Pakistan, Egypt and Turkey have done it. Good luck to them, we all want peace. But India gets no credit while Pakistan is holding the peace talks," he added.
Centre convenes all-party meeting
The comments came against the backdrop of an all-party meeting chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday, where the government reassured Opposition leaders that India remains on equal footing amid the West Asia crisis. During the meeting, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, EAM Jaishankar, and Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri briefed participants on energy security, shipping logistics, and the safety of Indian citizens abroad.
The Centre emphasised that India is maintaining diplomatic outreach with all parties in the region, keeping supply chains open, and ensuring that evacuation and security measures are in place. Opposition leaders, including Congress's Mukul Wasnik and Tariq Anwar, Samajwadi Party's Dharmendra Yadav and Javed Ali, CPI(M)'s John Brittas, DMK's P Wilson, and AAP's Sanjay Singh, attended the meeting. The conflict between the US, Israel, and Iran began on February 28.
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