The Congress on Tuesday attacked the government over US President Donald Trump’s praise for Pakistan Army Chief Asim Munir, saying what kind of signal is the American leader sending to India, in spite of PM Narendra Modi’s “desperate attempts” to ingratiate himself with him.

What sort of friendship is this between Trump and Modi, the opposition party asked, citing instances of Trump’s praise for Munir and past meetings between the two.

Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said Prime Minister Modi keeps calling President Trump his good friend and to be fair the American leader also keeps calling Modi his good friend.

“But what sort of friendship is this? President Trump hosted Field Marshal Asim Munir to an unprecedented lunch in the White House on June 18, 2025. This was the Field Marshal whose inflammatory and communally poisonous remarks provided the backdrop to the Pahalgam terror attacks orchestrated by Pakistan on April 22, 2025,” Ramesh said on X.

Then President Trump met with the Field Marshal a second time in the White House on September 26, 2025, when the Field Marshal presented President Trump with a box of rare earths, he said.

“Now in Egypt yesterday, President Trump calls Asim Munir as ‘my favourite Field Marshal’ and gives special place to the PM of Pakistan. What kind of signal is President Trump sending to India, in spite of Mr. Modi’s desperate attempts to ingratiate himself with the US President?” Ramesh said.

What sort of friendship is this, Ramesh asked.

Noting that Trump has called Munir his ‘favourite’, Congress MP Manickam Tagore said the same Munir has overseen terror plots and cross-border attacks against India.

“Under Modi’s watch, the world is not standing with India, it’s now praising those who target India. This is not diplomacy — this is disaster. For years, Modi claimed ‘India has never been stronger globally’. Yet today, even leaders like Trump are openly glorifying those responsible for terror against our nation — without a single word of protest from Modi,” the Congress MP said.

“Where is the 56-inch diplomacy now? Where is the ‘strong leader’ who said he would isolate Pakistan internationally? When India’s enemies are being endorsed and our PM remains silent, it’s clear — Modi’s foreign policy has collapsed. Loud on propaganda, mute on national pride,” he said.

India deserves leadership that earns respect through principles, not photo-ops, Tagore said.

“Foreign policy isn’t about hugs -- it’s about standing firm for the nation’s dignity,” he said.