'National interest above politics': Sharad Pawar praises PM Modi amid opposition's criticism on 5-nation tour

In a significant political departure from the collective stance of the opposition INDIA alliance, Nationalist Congress Party (SP) chief Sharad Pawar has openly defended Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ongoing multi-nation global tour. The veteran politician emphasized that domestic ideological rivalries must never compromise India's dignity on the world stage. Pawar argued that a Prime Minister represents the entire sovereignty of the nation when crossing international borders, and therefore, their diplomatic missions deserve unified domestic backing.

The veteran leader's remarks serve as a direct counter-narrative to growing criticisms levied by key alliance partners, particularly the Congress party. Opposition factions have aggressively questioned the timing and necessity of the Prime Minister’s high-profile five-nation overseas tour, noting that the international travel comes at a time when the country is navigating severe domestic economic anxieties and volatile global supply disruptions. Brushing aside these objections, Pawar stated, "Prime Minister Modi is working to protect the country's prestige outside India. We may have different political views, but when it comes to the nation's honour, political differences should not be brought in."

Pawar stressed that whenever a strategic opportunity arises to elevate India's global footprint, rival political outfits must set aside partisan calculations to work with a shared national purpose. To contextualize his bipartisan worldview, the former Union Minister invoked the historical legacies of past Prime Ministers, including Indira Gandhi, P.V. Narasimha Rao, and Dr. Manmohan Singh. He specifically highlighted a diplomatic anecdote where Indira Gandhi fiercely asserted the pride of 40 crore Indian citizens to foreign dignitaries, reminding the current political class that maintaining structural continuity in foreign policy has always been a fundamental pillar of Indian governance.