Overview
- Mani Shankar Aiyar’s Frontline letter condemned Shashi Tharoor’s March 6 TV remarks on the Iran conflict, accusing him of endorsing “might is right” and questioning his role as External Affairs panel chair.
- In a rebuttal published Thursday by NDTV and shared on X, Tharoor said his position reflects a nationalist focus on India’s interests and called caution in dealing with the US responsible statecraft.
- Tharoor rejected suggestions that he seeks favor through official trips, stating his foreign travel is personal except for the all‑party Operation Sindoor delegation.
- He noted that he has already termed the Iran war illegal in a recent column and called for an immediate end to hostilities.
- Pointing to nearly $200 billion in trade with Gulf nations and millions of Indian workers there, Tharoor argued that India’s energy security and economic ties necessitate measured diplomacy.