New Delhi, March 5 Former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "silence" regarding the US-Iran war sends a "dangerous signal" at a time when global tensions are escalating.
The AAP leader also questioned the implications of this stance for India's interests and energy security.
"As an Indian citizen, several extremely serious questions are arising in my mind today. Exactly one month ago, Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi entered into a trade deal with the US," Sisodia said in a post on X.
"In that deal, one key condition of the US was accepted, i.e., India will not import oil from Russia. India does not produce most of the oil it needs," he added.
Stating that India purchases a large portion of oil for daily use from foreign countries, Sisodia said, "Therefore, shutting down one or two sources is not merely a diplomatic decision. It is directly linked to whether the country's oil supply will remain stable, whether prices will remain under control, and whether the country will have options available in times of crisis. This is what is called energy security."
In a significant escalation of the West Asia crisis, a US submarine torpedoed and sank an Iranian warship in international waters off the coast of Sri Lanka on Wednesday, while the ship was returning after participating in the Milan naval exercise, a multilateral wargame hosted by India.
"Yesterday, the United States brought this war almost to India's doorstep. Twenty-four hours have passed, but not a single word has come from the mouth of India’s prime minister. This silence is a dangerous signal," Sisodia said.
"What message is going out to the world? That anyone can come and wage a war near India's borders, and India's prime minister will remain silent? Whose interests does this silence ultimately serve," the AAP leader asked.
The US and Israel launched military strikes on Iran on February 28, killing Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Following the military offensive, Iran has carried out a wave of attacks mainly targeting Israel and American military bases in several Gulf countries, including the UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, Jordan and Saudi Arabia.
In the last few days, the conflict has widened significantly with attacks and counter-attacks by both sides.
India has called for resolving the conflict through dialogue and diplomacy.
