Congress has sharply criticized External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar’s recent visit to China, with senior leaders including Rahul Gandhi accusing the government of compromising India’s foreign policy interests. The criticism comes after Jaishankar met Chinese Vice President Han Zheng on July 14, where he called for “continued normalisation” of bilateral ties.

Congress communication chief Jairam Ramesh issued a formal statement questioning the logic of the meeting, especially in light of the ongoing border tensions in eastern Ladakh. He asked why the government was “soft-pedaling” strategic issues and downplaying aggressive Chinese posturing.

Rahul Gandhi added fuel to the fire, stating that India’s foreign policy is being ‘destroyed’ under the current administration, with national security being compromised for optics.

The BJP, meanwhile, has dismissed the remarks, saying the government is balancing diplomacy and security, and that Congress is politicizing sensitive external affairs.

The war of words reflects deepening political fault lines as India navigates complex diplomacy with China amid domestic scrutiny.