Retired civil servants slam India’s ambivalence on Gaza, urge principled stand against Israeli actions

By A Representative

A collective of 110 retired senior civil servants, diplomats, police officers and other top officials has sharply criticised the Indian government’s stance on the Gaza crisis, calling it weak, ambivalent and out of step with India’s historic foreign policy traditions. Writing under the banner of the Constitutional Conduct Group (CCG), the former officials said that India’s approach to Israel’s military campaign in Gaza amounted to a “moral failure” and reflected “a disturbing rightward communal shift in governance and society.”

In their letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, the signatories said India’s foreign policy had moved away from its principled opposition to colonialism, apartheid and occupation, and was now characterised by a selective interpretation of national interest. “This is a far cry from the internationalism of India’s freedom struggle, its firm opposition through the UN, NAM and other platforms to imperial machinations, colonialism and apartheid, and its principled position on the Palestinian cause since its inception,” the letter stated.

The officials acknowledged that India had supported UN resolutions in 2023 and 2024 calling for an end to Israeli occupation and greater humanitarian access to Gaza, but noted that New Delhi had refused to condemn Israel’s “disproportionate carnage” or demand an unconditional ceasefire. They cited in particular India’s abstention in June 2025 on a UN General Assembly resolution that called for an “immediate, unconditional and permanent” ceasefire, unimpeded humanitarian access to Gaza, the release of all hostages and an end to the use of starvation as a tactic of war. “India was only one of 18 countries to abstain, while 149 countries voted in favour,” the group said, describing the decision as “deeply disconcerting.”

The letter also argued that India’s stance was not just a matter of diplomatic choice but part of a broader shift in domestic politics and public opinion. The group pointed to police crackdowns on small solidarity protests, the violent disruption of a Palestine support event in Delhi allegedly with police backing, and a Bombay High Court ruling dismissing a plea to hold a Gaza rally, as examples of how pro-Palestine sentiment was being suppressed at home. “The ambivalence, and general disregard in India for Palestinian suffering in the face of possible genocide, may well be part of a disturbing rightward communal shift in Indian public opinion, governance and judiciary,” the letter said.

The retired officials expressed particular concern over the government’s satisfaction that 20,000 Indians had secured jobs in Israel since a bilateral agreement in November 2023, filling positions vacated by Palestinians due to the war. They said this economic arrangement stood in stark contrast to India’s earlier solidarity with liberation movements. “India’s closet support for Israel has been exposed,” the letter remarked, adding that such actions amounted to complicity in the dispossession of Palestinians.

The CCG contrasted this approach with India’s historic role in championing anti-colonial struggles, opposing apartheid South Africa and standing firmly for Palestinian statehood. They reminded the government of India’s long record in the United Nations, the Non-Aligned Movement and other international forums where it had consistently called for justice for Palestinians. “We call upon the government of India to reclaim its historic leadership in addressing colonial injustices and consider initiatives to pull Israel back from its genocidal course that may result in one of the blackest chapters in the history of humanity,” the letter urged.

The group of signatories includes prominent former officials such as ex-National Security Adviser Shivshankar Menon, former Home Secretary G.K. Pillai, former Deputy National Security Adviser Vijaya Latha Reddy, former Planning Commission Secretary N.C. Saxena, and several ex-ambassadors and chief secretaries. Their intervention adds to a chorus of international voices urging stronger action on Gaza, but is particularly significant for its criticism of India’s departure from a foreign policy rooted in universalist values.

Comments

Why Venezuela govt granting amnesty to political prisoners isn't a sign of weakness

By Guillermo Barreto On 20 May 2017, during a violent protest planned by sectors of the Venezuelan opposition, 21-year-old Orlando Figuera was attacked by a mob that accused him of being a Chavista. After being stabbed, he was doused with gasoline and set on fire in front of everyone present. Young Orlando was admitted to a hospital with multiple wounds and burns covering 80 percent of his body and died 15 days later, on 4 June.

Swami Vivekananda's views on caste and sexuality were 'painfully' regressive

By Bhaskar Sur* Swami Vivekananda now belongs more to the modern Hindu mythology than reality. It makes a daunting job to discover the real human being who knew unemployment, humiliation of losing a teaching job for 'incompetence', longed in vain for the bliss of a happy conjugal life only to suffer the consequent frustration.

Walk for peace: Buddhist monks and America’s search for healing

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat* The #BuddhistMonks in the United States have completed their #WalkForPeace after covering nearly 3,700 kilometers in an arduous journey. They reached Washington, DC yesterday. The journey began at the Huong Đạo Vipassana Bhavana Center in Fort Worth, Texas, on October 26, 2025, and concluded in Washington, DC after a 108-day walk. The monks, mainly from Vietnam and Thailand, undertook this journey for peace and mindfulness. Their number ranged between 19 and 24. Led by Venerable Bhikkhu Pannakara (also known as Sư Tuệ Nhân), a Vietnamese-born monk based in the United States, this “Walk for Peace” reflected deeply on the crisis within American society and the search for inner strength among its people.

Four women lead the way among Tamil Nadu’s Muslim change-makers

By Syed Ali Mujtaba* A report published by Awaz–The Voice (ATV), a news platform, highlights 10 Muslim change-makers in Tamil Nadu, among whom four are women. These individuals are driving social change through education, the arts, conservation, and activism. Representing diverse fields ranging from environmental protection and literature to political engagement and education, they are working to improve society across the state.

Trade pacts with EU, US raise alarms over farmers, MSMEs and policy space

By A Representative A broad coalition of farmers’ organisations, trade unions, traders, public health advocates and environmental groups has raised serious concerns over India’s recently concluded trade agreements with the European Union and the United States, warning that the deals could have far-reaching implications for livelihoods, policy autonomy and the country’s long-term development trajectory. In a public statement issued, the Forum for Trade Justice described the two agreements as marking a “tectonic shift” in India’s trade policy and cautioned that the projected gains in exports may come at a significant social and economic cost.

When free trade meets unequal fields: The India–US agriculture question

By Vikas Meshram The proposed trade agreement between India and the United States has triggered intense debate across the country. This agreement is not merely an attempt to expand bilateral trade; it is directly linked to Indian agriculture, the rural economy, democratic processes, and global geopolitics. Free trade agreements (FTAs) may appear attractive on the surface, but the political economy and social consequences behind them are often unequal and controversial. Once again, a fundamental question has surfaced: who will benefit from this agreement, and who will pay its price?

Bangladesh goes to polls as press freedom concerns surface

By Nava Thakuria* As Bangladesh heads for its 13th Parliamentary election and a referendum on the July National Charter simultaneously on Thursday (12 February 2026), interim government chief Professor Muhammad Yunus has urged all participating candidates to rise above personal and party interests and prioritize the greater interests of the Muslim-majority nation, regardless of the poll outcomes.

Why Russian oil has emerged as the flashpoint in India–US trade talks

By N.S. Venkataraman* In recent years, India has entered into trade agreements with several countries, the latest being agreements with the European Union and the United States. While the India–EU trade agreement has been widely viewed in India as mutually beneficial and balanced, the trade agreement with the United States has generated comparatively greater debate and scrutiny.

Samyukt Kisan Morcha raises concerns over ‘corporate bias’ in seed Bill

By A Representative The Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) has released a statement raising ten questions to Union Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan regarding the proposed Seed Bill 2025, alleging that the legislation is biased in favour of large multinational and domestic seed corporations and does not adequately safeguard farmers’ interests.

Search This Blog