The Indian National Congress on Wednesday launched a sharp political attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi following U.S. President Donald Trump’s renewed claim that he had successfully intervened to stop a potential conflict between India and Pakistan. The opposition party questioned the Prime Minister’s continued silence on the matter and revived its long-standing jibe about Modi’s “56-inch chest.”
Congress general secretary in charge of communications, Jairam Ramesh, shared video clips of Trump’s recent remarks made during his visits to Japan and South Korea. In these statements, Trump reiterated that he had used trade leverage and personal diplomacy to de-escalate tensions between the two South Asian neighbors. According to Trump, his intervention prevented a full-scale conflict, a claim he has made multiple times in the past.
Reacting to the comments, Ramesh posted on social media: “The self-styled but now thoroughly shrunken and deeply exposed 56-inch chest remains silent.” The remark was a pointed reference to Modi’s past assertion of strong leadership, which the Congress party has frequently mocked in the context of foreign policy and national security.
The Congress party also criticized the Modi government for not issuing any official clarification or rebuttal to Trump’s repeated assertions. “Why is the Prime Minister silent when a foreign leader repeatedly claims credit for resolving a bilateral issue of such sensitivity?” Ramesh asked, suggesting that Modi’s silence could be interpreted as tacit acceptance.
This is not the first time Trump has made such claims. During his previous term as U.S. President, he had publicly offered to mediate between India and Pakistan over the Kashmir issue—an offer India firmly rejected, reiterating that all matters with Pakistan are strictly bilateral.
The latest exchange has reignited political debate in India, with the Congress using the opportunity to question the Modi government’s foreign policy posture and its handling of strategic narratives on the global stage.
