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Rahul Gandhi attacks Jaishankar, sparks major 2013 political debate
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News18•16-10-2026, 17:45
Rahul Gandhi attacks Jaishankar, sparks major 2013 political debate
- •Congress leader Rahul Gandhi recently targeted External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar by labeling him as Rubio's employee following an announcement about a meeting with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
- •This remark has triggered massive scrutiny regarding past diplomatic protocols, drawing attention back to the UPA era in 2013 when then-External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid hosted a lunch for the Pakistani Prime Minister.
- •Critics argue that applying domestic political labels to international diplomatic meetings undermines the country's global standing and demonstrates a lack of understanding of basic diplomatic etiquette.
- •The fundamental rule of diplomacy dictates that channels of communication must remain open, meaning foreign ministers regularly engage with global counterparts without implying subservience.
Key Questions Answered
Rahul Gandhi criticized S. Jaishankar because the meeting between the foreign ministers was announced by a US official rather than India's Ministry of External Affairs, leading him to label Jaishankar as Rubio's employee.
In March 2013, then-External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid hosted a private working lunch for Pakistan's Prime Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf at Jaipur's Rambagh Palace hotel during the UPA government.
In international diplomacy, either country or their diplomatic representatives can share information regarding meetings between foreign ministers, meaning joint announcements or independent disclosures are standard practice.
