Veteran Congress leader Ashok Gehlot on Thursday (March 5, 2026) criticised the Centre for its “strategic silence” on the U.S. submarine attack which sank the Iranian warship, IRIS Dena, near Sri Lanka in the Indian Ocean. Mr. Gehlot said India’s strength lies in its independent voice, rather than in “subservience to any power”.
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“India has never compromised on its sovereignty and policies under pressure from any other country. In our own maritime neighbourhood, the attack on a vessel which was a guest in MILAN-2026 [in Visakhapatnam] and our silence [on it] raises questions about India’s credibility,” Mr. Gehlot said in a post on X.
Mr. Gehlot, the former Chief Minister of Rajasthan, affirmed that staying silent on the “arbitrary action” of the U.S. would go against India’s cultural ethos of ‘Atithi Devo Bhava’ and military pride. “Is the silence of India, known as the net security provider of Indian Ocean, a sign of diplomatic pressure?” he asked.
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