When Iran announced on March 1, 2026 that its Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Seyed Ali Hosseini Khamenei, had been killed in targeted strikes by the United States and Israel, it immediately raised fears of a major international crisis. Around the world, governments reacted with concern. India, however, remained noticeably quiet. That silence has since become a subject of debate within the country.
Sonia Gandhi, chairperson of the Congress Parliamentary Party, addressed the issue in a sharply written article in The Indian Express. She described the assassination as a serious and troubling development, especially since it reportedly took place while diplomatic negotiations were still in progress. In her view, regardless of what one thinks about Iran’s leadership, the manner and timing of the strike cannot be ignored.
Her criticism of the Modi government was clear. India did not condemn the killing or raise concerns about the violation of Iran’s sovereignty. Instead, the Prime Minister first spoke about Iran’s retaliatory strike on the United Arab Emirates, without acknowledging what had led to it. Gandhi suggested that this response avoided confronting the central issue.She pointed to Article 2(4) of the United Nations Charter, which prohibits the use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state. According to her, these principles are not just legal language but essential safeguards for countries that rely on international rules to protect their own sovereignty.
The timing also drew attention. Prime Minister Modi had returned from Israel less than two days before the assassination, where he publicly reaffirmed support for Benjamin Netanyahu’s government during an ongoing conflict in Gaza. Gandhi also reminded readers that in 1994, Iran had helped prevent efforts within the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation to pass a resolution against India at the United Nations over Kashmir.
Reactions in India have been mixed, though many foreign policy observers have expressed concern. Some believe India risks moving away from its image as an independent voice of the Global South. Gandhi questioned whether India can expect support for its own sovereignty in the future if it hesitates to defend that principle today, arguing that silence in such moments amounts to stepping back from responsibility.
