Hyderabad: The Israel Iran war sparked political controversy in India after AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi questioned whether Prime Minister Narendra Modi had prior knowledge of Israeli strikes on Iran.
Reports said the United States and Israel carried out coordinated attacks on Iran early Saturday. The strikes reportedly targeted locations linked to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. In response, Iran launched missiles toward US military bases in the Middle East, including those in Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
Amid escalating hostilities in the region, Owaisi raised concerns over India’s diplomatic positioning. He asked whether Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had informed Narendra Modi in advance about the attack on Iran.
Israel Iran war triggers political debate in India
Owaisi noted that the Prime Minister had visited Israel for two days shortly before the strikes. During the trip, he held bilateral talks with Netanyahu and addressed the Israeli Parliament, the Knesset.
He said the country deserves clarity on whether advance information was shared. If Israel informed India beforehand, the Prime Minister should have cut short the visit and returned, he argued. Conversely, if Israel did not inform India, it would amount to diplomatic disregard, he said.
Owaisi also questioned accountability if such attacks had occurred while the Prime Minister’s aircraft was airborne. He alleged that Israel might have used the timing of the visit to advance its military objectives against Iran and in Gaza.
According to him, the developments risk conveying that India stands with Israel rather than maintaining balanced ties with Iran. He further asked what strategic benefit India derives from the escalation linked to the Israel Iran war.