New Delhi, June 12 (IANS) The reported invitation extended by the United States to Pakistan Army Chief General Asim Munir has drawn sharp criticism in India, with the Congress calling it a serious diplomatic and strategic setback for the country.

In a post on X on Thursday, Congress communication chief Jairam Ramesh said, “It is reported that Pakistan Army Chief General Asim Munir has been invited to attend an event in Washington, D.C., marking US Army Day on June 14. This is another huge diplomatic setback for India.”

Highlighting past controversies surrounding Munir, Ramesh said, “This is the same person who used provocative and inciteful language just ahead of the Pahalgam terrorist attack. The question that naturally arises is — what are America’s real intentions?”

Ramesh also referred to recent remarks made by the head of the US Central Command, who described Pakistan as a “great partner” in the fight against terrorism.

“This comes at a time when the Modi government insists Operation Sindoor is still underway. Against this backdrop, the invitation to Pakistan’s Army Chief to be a guest at a key US military event is undoubtedly a cause for serious concern,” he said.

He further alleged that the Trump administration was increasingly making statements that suggest the US is equating India and Pakistan in its strategy. “Such positioning undermines India’s diplomatic standing,” he said.

Ramesh questioned the government’s silence, stating, “On the one hand, the Prime Minister is welcoming back delegations that have briefed the world, including the US, on Pakistan’s role in promoting cross-border terrorism. On the other hand, such developments from Washington, D.C. only make India’s position more precarious.”

Calling for urgent political consensus, Ramesh said, “The Prime Minister must now set aside his obstinacy and ego, and convene an all-party meeting as well as a special session of Parliament. The nation must speak in one voice and chart a unified diplomatic response.”

“Decades of diplomatic progress cannot be allowed to be undermined so easily,” Ramesh added.

–IANS

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