Sharma diverges from Congress line on West Asia, hails government’s diplomacy | India News
“We are balancing it right. There is no other way. We can’t lean. We can’t tilt. That’s called efficient diplomacy, that everybody is right with you, and we have to continue it so that the Indian diaspora is safe,” Sharma told ANI.His comments, like those of colleague Shashi Tharoor, contradicted the Congress’s position that India supported Iran.The government has argued that, among other things, India must exercise neutrality because of the concerns of nearly nine lakh citizens working in Gulf countries targeted by Iran.Sharma praised Indian diplomats in Gulf countries. “We have to support them. They are hoisting the tricolor. They are working for our people,” he said.Sharma urged India to take the lead in bringing together the Global South and strategic partner countries to work collectively towards restoring peace and order in West Asia.India and other countries dependent on imports of crude petroleum, LPG and natural gas from the region face an unprecedented challenge, Sharma said, adding, “We are facing the worst energy crisis in history today.”“This national dialogue needs to be sustained. A mature response guided by national unity and national interest is the need of the hour,” he said.
