Brief by Shorts91 Newsdesk / 05:31pm on 14 Aug 2026,Friday India Global
The Ministry of External Affairs on Friday stressed mutual respect in diplomatic discourse after Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Sandeep Dikshit referred to Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni while criticising Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s foreign policy. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said India-Italy ties have expanded and strengthened “in every way” and should continue deepening through mutual understanding and respect. Gandhi had mocked Modi’s “hug diplomacy” at the Rachnatmak Congress National Convention, questioning the role of personal relationships in foreign policy. Dikshit then made a remark referring to Meloni, prompting political criticism. The BJP accused Gandhi of crossing political discourse limits. Gandhi also criticised Modi over India’s role in the US-Iran conflict, while the MEA focused on strengthening India-Italy relations.
