Ever since the Indian National Congress sat on the couch of the Opposition, the party and its leaders have resorted to throwing criticism which lacks a strong teeth to hold basic facts and logic. At the latest, Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh, in yet another example of his party’s misplaced criticism, took to social media on April 3rd to question Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Thailand and Sri Lanka.
His sarcastic jibe, “Frequent Flier flies off again,” was meant to mock the visit of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi with an underlying message trying to showcase the foreign visits as nothing but personal aspirations of the Prime Minister. However, this statement not only exposes the Congress Party’s ignorance but also highlights its sheer hypocrisy. Let us look at how the criticism of senior Congress leader thrown towards the Prime Minister was a blatant display of how political goals/aspirations can make the logic fade away from the statements of even the most experienced politicians.
Frequent Flier flies off again. This time it is to Bangkok. Look East by all means but why continue to ignore Manipur?
And why bulldoze the proclamation on President’s Rule in the state at 2AM this morning in the Lok Sabha, leaving just an hour for debate and discussion but…
— Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) April 3, 2025
1. Narendra Modi’s Trip Is Not a “Chill” Vacation Like Rahul Gandhi’s
Jairam Ramesh and his party must understand that PM Modi’s visit to Bangkok is not akin to the frequent, unannounced foreign trips of Rahul Gandhi, who disappears at crucial political moments only to be spotted in some exotic location. Unlike Rahul Gandhi, who takes personal vacations and runs away from responsibilities, PM Modi’s foreign trips are meticulously planned, with a minute-to-minute schedule. Every visit serves a larger diplomatic and strategic purpose, strengthening India’s ties with global partners.
The BIMSTEC Summit, which PM Modi attended in Thailand, is not a casual gathering. It is a crucial diplomatic event aimed at fostering regional cooperation among South and Southeast Asian nations. Does Jairam Ramesh expect India to simply skip such a critical summit and isolate itself from its neighbors? Such reckless statements by Congress leaders show how little they understand the significance of international diplomacy.
2. As the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi Has a Diplomatic Duty to Visit Other Nations
India is a global player with diplomatic engagements in multiple regions. With 195 countries in the world, it is imperative for the Indian Prime Minister to visit several of them to enhance India’s global presence. Every global leader, from the US President to the Chinese Premier, regularly embarks on foreign trips to strengthen alliances and build new partnerships.
Does the Congress Party expect India to remain confined within its borders while other nations actively engage in diplomacy? Or does Jairam Ramesh believe that India should stop participating in global forums and wane its international standing? Such a mindset explains why India was once considered a passive player under the Congress regime, lacking strong diplomatic influence.
3. The BIMSTEC Summit Is of Utmost Importance
The latest foreign visit of PM Modi is for the BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) Summit, an event of great strategic importance. The summit brings together key South Asian and Southeast Asian nations to discuss security, trade, and regional cooperation. India, as a leading power in the region, cannot afford to ignore this forum.
By criticizing PM Modi’s participation, is Jairam Ramesh suggesting that India should not engage with its regional partners? Does he want India to ignore crucial discussions on economic growth, maritime security, and strategic cooperation? The Congress Party, which once prided itself on diplomacy, now appears to be advocating for India’s diplomatic isolation.
4. The President and Vice President Also Undertake Foreign Visits
Jairam Ramesh’s selective outrage over PM Modi’s trips is amusing. It is common for heads of state to undertake foreign visits for diplomatic purposes. The President of India and the Vice President also travel to various countries to strengthen diplomatic relations. This is a standard practice in global governance.
Yet, Jairam Ramesh never seems to have a problem when other Indian leaders travel abroad. His criticism is not based on genuine concerns but on the Congress Party’s desperate attempt to find faults with the Modi government, even when none exist.
5. Modi’s Foreign Trips Are Cost-Effective Compared to Manmohan Singh Government
Congress leaders love to claim that PM Modi wastes taxpayer money on foreign visits. However, the reality is the opposite. Despite having made more foreign trips than former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, PM Modi’s travel expenses have been significantly lower.
By 2019, Narendra Modi had clocked 48 foreign trips, 10 more than his predecessor Manmohan Singh, but had incurred a lower cost of ₹429.28 crore, ₹64 crore less than Singh’s expenses for hiring chartered flights. This data demolishes the Congress Party’s false narrative about PM Modi’s foreign trips being extravagant.
Under the Congress regime, taxpayer money was wasted on foreign tours that lacked strategic outcomes. In contrast, PM Modi’s visits have yielded substantial diplomatic benefits, from defense agreements to trade partnerships, enhancing India’s global stature.
6. Modi Has Strengthened Ties With Smaller Nations, Gaining Unprecedented Respect
One of PM Modi’s greatest diplomatic achievements has been India’s outreach to nations with lesser influence, something that Congress never prioritized. By visiting and engaging with smaller countries, India has earned immense goodwill on the global stage.
A striking example was seen in Papua New Guinea, where the country’s Prime Minister touched Narendra Modi’s feet, a gesture of immense respect, rarely witnessed in international diplomacy. Such moments prove how India, under Modi’s leadership, has gained recognition and admiration across the world. Contrast this with Congress’s foreign policy failures, where India’s global standing was often diminished due to weak leadership and indecisive governance.
7. The Hypocrisy of Rahul Gandhi and Congress on Manipur
Further in his post, Jairam Ramesh’s claim that PM Modi is ignoring Manipur is nothing but hollow rhetoric. If anyone has truly ignored Manipur, it is Rahul Gandhi and the Congress Party. Recently, during a crucial Lok Sabha discussion on Manipur, Rahul Gandhi was nowhere to be seen. Despite frequently attacking PM Modi over Manipur on social media, he failed to participate in an actual parliamentary debate on the issue.
Just days before skipping the debate, Rahul Gandhi met Congress leaders from Manipur and posted a dramatic message on X, “The people of Manipur deserve peace and stability. Every Indian stands united in wanting a lasting solution to this crisis. Resolving this conflict must be our national priority.”
Yet, when the time came to actually discuss Manipur in Parliament, Rahul Gandhi conveniently disappeared. This glaring contradiction exposes the Congress Party’s insincerity and its habit of using sensitive issues for political drama rather than real problem-solving.
Jairam Ramesh’s attempt to attack PM Modi over his foreign visit has backfired, revealing the Congress Party’s ignorance, hypocrisy, and political desperation. Unlike Rahul Gandhi’s aimless foreign vacations, Modi’s trips are purposeful, strategically planned, and essential for India’s global standing. If Congress truly cared about diplomacy, it would support India’s participation in key summits like BIMSTEC instead of questioning their necessity. If Congress truly cared about Manipur, its leaders starting with Rahul Gandhi would have participated in Parliament rather than indulging in Twitter theatrics. It’s time for Jairam Ramesh and the Congress Party to stop their mindless criticism and instead focus on where the grand old party have blundered which has made them sit in the opposition for more than a decade.
