Modi condemns violation of Qatar’s sovereignty
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday denounced the recent Israeli air strikes on Doha, describing them as a violation of Qatar’s sovereignty, and urged restraint to prevent further deterioration of the already volatile regional situation.
The sharp criticism came after Modi held a phone conversation with Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani. During the call, he conveyed India’s “deep concern” over the air raids that targeted Hamas leaders in the Qatari capital. The strikes, carried out on Tuesday, marked Israel’s latest round of attacks following earlier operations in Syria, Iran, and Lebanon. The assault on Doha triggered widespread condemnation across the globe.
“Spoke with Amir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani and expressed deep concern at the attacks in Doha,” Modi said in a post on social media. “India condemns the violation of the sovereignty of the brotherly State of Qatar. We support resolution of issues through dialogue and diplomacy, and avoiding escalation.”
The prime minister reiterated India’s commitment to peace in the Middle East and its stand against terrorism “in all its forms and manifestations.” His statement is among the rare instances of New Delhi openly criticizing Israel’s military actions.
The remarks followed India’s participation in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Tianjin on September 1, where member states collectively condemned Israeli and US military strikes on Iran.
The joint declaration noted that such actions caused civilian deaths and worsened the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
“Reiterating their deep concern over the continuing escalation of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, the member states strongly condemn the actions that have led to numerous casualties among the civilian population and a catastrophic humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip,” the SCO leaders said in their communiqué. They further underlined that a comprehensive and just settlement of the Palestinian issue remained central to achieving long-term peace in the Middle East.
The statement also criticized military operations against Iranian civilian and nuclear infrastructure, calling them a violation of international law and the UN Charter.
