The Congress party has strongly criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government after US President Donald Trump lauded Pakistan’s Army Chief Asim Munir and gave preferential treatment to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif during a recent peace summit in Egypt.
Jairam Ramesh, Congress general secretary in charge of communications, took to X (formerly Twitter) to question the message Trump’s actions were sending to India, especially in light of the perceived close relationship between Modi and Trump. Ramesh highlighted Trump’s previous luncheon with Army Chief Munir and his recent remarks calling Munir his “favorite Field Marshal,” linking these events to remarks made by Munir that were seen as inflammatory and problematic, particularly in the context of past terror attacks.
During the summit in Egypt, Trump not only praised Munir but also invited Sharif to speak mid-address. Sharif, in turn, lauded Trump as a “man of peace” and mentioned Pakistan’s nomination of Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts in de-escalating tensions between India and Pakistan. Trump also referred to PM Modi as a “very good friend” and praised his work in India.
However, India has previously dismissed Trump’s claims of mediating a ceasefire with Pakistan, with Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri stating that the de-escalation was a result of direct talks between the two countries’ armies, not U.S. mediation.