Jairam Ramesh Hits Out at PM’s 5-Nation Visit

As Prime Minister Narendra Modi prepares to embark on a multi-nation diplomatic tour beginning July 2, the Congress party has launched a scathing attack, alleging that the PM is using foreign visits to evade pressing domestic issues — including the Manipur conflict, claims made by Donald Trump on Indo-Pak mediation, and setbacks in Operation Sindoor.

Addressing media and posting on social platform X, Jairam Ramesh, Congress general secretary in charge of communication, criticized Modi's international engagements, calling him a “Super Premium Frequent Flier” and accusing him of avoiding accountability on matters of national concern.

"PM Is Running Away From Responsibility": Ramesh

Ramesh listed four major issues he claimed the Prime Minister is evading:

1. The Manipur crisis, where ethnic violence and instability continue. Modi, Ramesh alleged, has not visited the state since the conflict escalated.

2. Operation Sindoor setbacks, where he claimed that defence officials indicated initial failures due to the PM’s decisions — an interpretation the Indian Embassy in Indonesia has since refuted, calling media reports a misrepresentation.

3. Donald Trump’s assertions that he mediated a ceasefire between India and Pakistan using trade deals — claims that have remained unaddressed officially by India.

4. The unsolved Pahalgam terror case, now 70 days old, which Congress says exposes the Centre’s failure in handling national security.

“When the going gets tough, the self-styled toughs get going. The PM is off again, this time on a five-nation, eight-day diplomatic tour while the country burns,” Ramesh said.

Details of the Five-Nation Tour

According to the Ministry of External Affairs, Prime Minister Modi’s official itinerary includes visits to:

• Ghana (July 2–3)

• Trinidad and Tobago (July 3–4)

• Argentina (July 4–5)

• Brazil (July 5–8), where he will attend the 17th BRICS Summit

• Namibia, marking the final leg of the tour

The tour aims to deepen India’s engagement with Global South nations, strengthen economic ties, and boost multilateral cooperation under the BRICS framework.

Congress Repeats Call for Manipur Visit

The opposition party has regularly questioned why the Prime Minister has not visited violence-hit Manipur, despite repeated appeals from local leaders and civil society. The ongoing ethnic clashes in the northeastern state have left hundreds displaced and security forces stretched thin.

While the BJP government defends Modi’s foreign policy focus as critical to India’s global stature, critics argue that domestic unrest and unresolved crises need urgent leadership at home.