New Delhi [India], March 24 (ANI): Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's handling of the West Asia conflict, alleging that India has been sidelined in international negotiations and describing the PM as 'compromised.'

Responding to a question on reports that Pakistan could be facilitating talks between Iran and the US, Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition said, 'Our foreign policy is Prime Minister Modi's personal foreign policy. You can see the result of this. It's a universal joke. Everybody considers it a universal joke.'

Gandhi went further, directly questioning PM Modi's autonomy on the global stage and referring to US President Donald Trump.

'Donald Trump knows exactly what Mr Modi can do and what Mr Modi cannot do. So if the Prime Minister is compromised, our foreign policy is compromised. It's obvious; everyone can see it. They did a US deal,' he said.

He also criticised the Prime Minister's recent speech in Lok Sabha, adding, 'Yesterday, he gave an irrelevant speech. I mean, he is the Prime Minister of India, it should be visible that he is India's Prime Minister. What is the position? There is no position at all.'

Linking global tensions to domestic concerns, Gandhi warned that ordinary citizens could face economic hardship.

'And it's a matter of sorrow that people will suffer for this. It has just started. LPG, petrol, fertilizer--there will be problems in everything. Okay, Modi ji said that a time like COVID is coming. He has forgotten what happened during COVID, how many people died, what tragedies occurred. Basically, there is no understanding,' Lok Sabha LoP further said.

The remarks come after Gandhi accused the government of mishandling the ongoing West Asia situation. Speaking earlier in Vadodara, he alleged that PM Modi avoided directly naming the US in his Lok Sabha address and claimed, 'Narendra Modi is 100% under the control of Trump.'

He also asserted that the Prime Minister would not be able to face a parliamentary debate on the issue, saying, 'I guarantee he cannot participate in a debate in Parliament because he is compromised.'

Meanwhile, in his Lok Sabha address on Monday, PM Modi described the West Asia conflict as 'worrisome,' highlighting its potential economic, security, and humanitarian impact on India. He emphasised India's dependence on the war-affected region for crude oil and gas and underscored the country's diplomatic efforts to urge de-escalation.

The Prime Minister condemned attacks on civilians, commercial vessels, and blockages of key waterways such as the Strait of Hormuz.

Amid reports that talks between US and Iranian officials could be facilitated in Pakistan, the White House has downplayed speculation. US Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said no meeting should be considered final until officially announced.

'These are sensitive diplomatic discussions, and the US will not negotiate through the press. This is a fluid situation, and speculation about meetings should not be deemed as final until they are formally announced by the White House,' she said.

Meanwhile, US Interior Secretary Doug Burgum expressed confidence in Trump's approach, stating, 'President Trump is going to resolve it... he's going to come out of this with a winning deal for Americans.' (ANI)