Jaishankar faces tough questions from MPs over India’s West Asia policy, perception of being in ‘Israel’s corner'

The meet was attended by MoS external affairs Pabitra Margherita, foreign secretary Vikram Misri and secretary (overseas Indian affairs) Sripriya Ranganathan.

Published on: Sep 8, 2026, 09:43:40 IST

By Rezaul H Laskar

Prefer HTon Google

Share via

Copy link

The government faced tough questions on its West Asia Policy during a meeting of the parliamentary consultative committee for external affairs chaired by external affairs minister S Jaishankar on Monday, people familiar with the matter said.

The committee raised questions on the Mecca defence pact, India's partnership with Israel and overall West Asian allies. (@DrSJaishankar/X)

The meeting, held behind closed doors, focused on India’s relations with West Asia, Jaishankar said in a social media post. It was also attended by minister of state for external affairs Pabitra Margherita, foreign secretary Vikram Misri and secretary (overseas Indian affairs) Sripriya Ranganathan.

Jaishankar faced questions from several of the MPs about India’s policy towards the region, especially since military strikes by the US and Israel on Iran in February that resulted in the death of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and triggered a war, the people said on condition of anonymity.

The MPs questioned India’s silence on the killing of the Iranian leader – the government refrained from formally condemning the killing of Khamenei – and criticised the perception that India was perceived as being in “Israel’s corner”, they said.

Also Read I EAM Jaishankar says India 'ready to help' end Russia-Ukraine war

The MPs also expressed concern at the conflicts across West Asia and the situation that has prevailed since the terror attacks by Hamas in October 2023 and the government’s overall response, the people said.

The Makkah Joint Defence Agreement, signed by Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye on August 7, also figured in the discussions, with the MPs pointing to the open-ended nature of the pact and Bangladesh exploring the possibility of joining the arrangement, the people said.

Jaishankar said in his social media post that he highlighted India’s “close ties with the Gulf & WANA [West Asia and North Africa] region, including our longstanding partnerships and cooperation in trade, investments, energy, maritime and people to people domains”.

The people said Jaishankar had defended the government’s approach towards West Asia by saying that India has to work along with all the key players in the region.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Rezaul H Laskar
Rezaul Hasan Laskar is Foreign Editor with the Hindustan Times, which he joined in 2015. He began as a journalist in his hometown of Shillong in northeast India and has worked in newspapers and wire services over the years. He moved to New Delhi in 1997 and initially focused on defence, national security, Jammu and Kashmir and the northeast, while also working of foreign policy and international relations. He has been part of the media delegation accompanying PMs on foreign visits and has reported from destinations ranging from Tibet to Ukraine. Between 2007 and 2013, he was the Press Trust of India correspondent in Pakistan, one of only two Indian journalists allowed to report from the country. He extensively covered Pakistan’s domestic politics and the life of the common people, as well as the fallout of the 2008 Mumbai attacks on India-Pakistan relations and the subsequent trial in Pakistan of the suspects involved in the attack. As part of his reportage in Pakistan, he travelled the breadth of the country, from the Swat Valley to Balochistan. Reza’s first gig in journalism was writing a weekly music column, and music – especially classic rock – remains a keen interest. He is also a movie buff and a keen photographer.Read More

Get the latest India News, breaking headlines and real-time updates from across the country. Stay informed about politics, government policies, crime, weather major national developments and Karnataka Bandh LIVE.