The Congress criticised the Modi government after US and Pakistani troops completed a joint counter-terrorism exercise, Inspired Gambit 2026, in Pakistan.
Jairam Ramesh said the drill undermined India’s foreign policy claims, citing US praise for Pakistan’s military leadership despite recent terror attacks.
The US Central Command said the exercise aimed to strengthen defence ties and focused on infantry skills and counterterrorism cooperation.
Congress Slams Modi Govt Over US–Pakistan Joint Military Drill
Party calls exercise a setback to India’s ‘Vishwaguru’ diplomacy narrative.
Summary
The Congress on Saturday took a swipe at the Modi government and said the joint training exercise by American and Pakistani troops was "yet another blow to the self-proclaimed Vishwaguru's self-boastful diplomacy".
During the "Inspired Gambit 2026" exercise, US and Pakistani troops wrapped up their combined training at the National Counter-Terrorism Centre in Pabbi.
Reacting to the development, Congress general secretary, in-charge of communications, Jairam Ramesh said, "In yet another blow to the self-proclaimed Vishwaguru's self-boastful diplomacy, the US Central Command has just issued a statement saying that US and Pakistani Army soldiers have completed joint training exercises..." In June 2025 the-then Chief of the US Central Command General Michael Kunilla had hailed Pakistan as a "phenomenal partner" in counter-terrorism, Ramesh said.
"President Trump himself has repeatedly expressed his deep admiration for Field Marshal Asim Munir, whose inflammatory and communally provocative remarks had provided the immediate backdrop to the Pakistan-orchestrated terror attacks in Pahalgam on April 22, 2025," Ramesh said on X.
"Just yesterday, President Trump reiterated that he had intervened to have Operation Sindoor halted on May 10, 2025," he added.
According to a statement from the US Central Command (Centcom), Dawn reported on Saturday that training exercises like this one between the US and Pakistan reinforce the two nations' long-standing defence ties.
According to the statement, integrated infantry capabilities and tactics, as well as counterterrorism operations, were the main topics of the joint exercise that ended this week.
According to the article, the exercise, which took place between January 8 and 16, coincided with more general indications of re-engagement between the two defence establishments.
Published At: