Modi cowers after US blasts Iranian vessel in Indian Ocean

Indian Opposition Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge on Thursday launched a scathing attack on the Modi government over America’s fatal strike on an Iranian vessel, IRIS Dena. The strike occurred as it was sailing through the Indian Ocean.

Kharge accused Modi of a “reckless abdication” of India’s national interests following. He emphasised that the ship was a returning guest from India’s International Fleet Review 2026 and was unarmed. Initially, there was no response from prime minister Modi.

Only after opposition started mounting, did the government respond, and even then, it was meagre.The Foreign Secretary was the only official pictured signing the Condolence Book at the Iranian Embassy in a formal gesture of respect.

As Maktoob Media reported:

India’s Foreign Secretary signs condolence book for Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri has signed the condolence book for Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei at the Embassy in Delhi, amidst growing criticism against the Modi government’s silence on the US-Israel attack on Iran.

Meanwhile, American and Trump-aligned media outlets have been celebrating the cowardly attack, thumping their chests in glee.

Hegseth, who has said the war is being fought for Jesus, was gloating to reporters. In fact, he was admitting that they had:

 sunk an Iranian war ship that thought it was safe in international waters.

Instead it was sunk by a torpedo, a quiet death – the first sinking of an enemy ship by a torpedo since World War II. Like in that war, back when we were still the war department, we are fighting to win.

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He said the ship was:

ineffective, decimated, destroyed…pick your adjective, it is no more.

Murder of Indian guests and Modi’s silence

Professor Priyamvada Gopal questioned India’s legal standing in the face of such an attack, given Modi’s claim that India is the ‘guardian of the Indian Ocean.’

Esha Krishnaswamy, the host of Historic.ly podcast, said that India wasn’t sovereign, insinuating that it had capitulated to the US and Israel.

Anand Mangnale, an Indian journalist said that the absence of any statement from the Foreign Minister, Defence Minister, Navy, or PM signified a failure in diplomatic and defence policy.

Journalist Barkha Dutt shared satellite footage of IRIS Dena participating in multilateral naval exercises held in India’s eastern port city of Visakhapatnamised on 19 February 2026. She expressed horror at the fact that those onboard had likely all been killed.

Some pointed out that even Modi’s loyal supporters were turning on him.

Commenting on this, SOAS-based academic Subir Sinha wrote:

So, when is Modi’s statement coming? Maybe never or far too late. The damage is done. However, we can clearly see where his loyalties lie. They are with the US and Israel, not India.

Featured image via the Canary