New Delhi, July 17 (IANS) The Congress party on Thursday called for a comprehensive recalibration, introspection, and course correction to restore India’s global standing in terms of its foreign policy.

The party has also called for a debate in the Monsoon session of Parliament.

Addressing a press conference at the AICC (All Indian Congress Committee) headquarters, senior Congress leader and former Union Minister Anand Sharma expressed deep concern over what he termed a “fundamental departure” from India’s traditional diplomatic posture, warning that the country’s influence in global affairs was visibly waning.

Sharma lamented the erosion of national consensus on foreign policy, which he said had historically transcended partisan politics and reflected India’s moral authority in the world.

“Foreign policy must promote national interest and uphold what is right. It was never meant to be held hostage to domestic political agendas,” he said, adding that recent decisions had been taken without consulting Parliament, thereby weakening India’s voice in the comity of nations.

The Congress leader’s remarks came in the wake of India’s abstention from a United Nations General Assembly resolution calling for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire in Gaza.

The resolution, introduced by Spain, was adopted with overwhelming support – 149 countries voted in favour, while India was among the 19 that abstained.

Sharma described the move as “painful and unacceptable,” noting that even nations with close ties to Israel and the United States had voted for peace.

“The land of Gandhi did not vote for a ceasefire. That one action diminished India’s credibility as a leader of the Global South,” he said.

Sharma also highlighted the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza, where over 60,000 people have reportedly died amid ongoing conflict. He urged the government to reclaim India’s moral voice and engage constructively with both Israel and Palestine, emphasising that India’s legacy of non-alignment and moral diplomacy must not be abandoned.

Calling for a parliamentary debate on foreign policy, Sharma said that no democracy should shy away from discussing its strategic engagements. He warned that multilateralism was under siege, with the United Nations increasingly unable to enforce its resolutions.

“India must ask itself where it stands as the rule-based global order begins to collapse,” he said.

The Congress party’s critique underscores growing unease over India’s diplomatic choices and signals a demand for greater transparency, accountability, and consensus in shaping the country’s engagement with the world.

–IANS

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