The Congress party launched a sharp attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday, claiming his much-publicized “special relationship” with US President Donald Trump now stands completely exposed. The criticism comes amid reports that Pakistan Army chief General Asim Munir is set to visit the United States for the second time since the four-day armed conflict between India and Pakistan that followed the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam.

Congress general secretary in-charge of communications, Jairam Ramesh, took to X (formerly Twitter) to question the optics and implications of Munir’s warm reception in the US. He noted that Munir, whose “inflammatory” remarks were cited as a catalyst for the Pahalgam attacks, had already been hosted for a rare luncheon with President Trump on June 18 in Washington, DC. Ramesh described this event as “unprecedented,” raising concerns over the growing US-Pakistan military engagement.

In a biting statement, Ramesh pointed out that Munir is now preparing to return to the US to attend the farewell function for outgoing US Central Command Chief, General Michael Kurilla — the same official who, on June 10, had controversially called Pakistan a “phenomenal partner in counter-terrorism operations.” Ramesh called this remark a “bizarre certificate,” implying that it glosses over Pakistan’s track record on cross-border terrorism and its role in recent regional tensions.

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Ramesh emphasized that Modi's repeated claims of enjoying a privileged personal rapport with Trump now ring hollow. “Prime Minister Modi has been claiming a special relationship with President Trump. That now stands totally exposed,” he asserted, pointing to the clear diplomatic favor being extended toward Pakistan’s military leadership.

Adding to the critique, Ramesh flagged the absence of a full-time US Ambassador in India since January 2025 — a post that remains vacant without even a nomination in the pipeline. This, he said, contrasts sharply with the US filling key diplomatic positions in other strategic countries such as China, signaling a worrying gap in Indo-US relations under the current government.

According to reports from Pakistan’s Dawn News, General Munir is expected in Washington this week for high-level consultations with top US officials. His earlier five-day visit in June featured not only a meeting with Trump but also closed-door sessions with policy experts, think tank analysts, and international journalists — a visit that led to Trump announcing plans for deeper US-Pakistan cooperation, including a reported oil deal.

Munir’s growing proximity to US leadership, especially so soon after a violent flare-up between India and Pakistan, has prompted serious questions from the opposition about India’s waning diplomatic clout. The Congress has now made it clear that it sees the Modi government’s foreign policy narrative, particularly regarding its ties with Trump, as increasingly out of sync with geopolitical realities.

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