Jaipur: Rajasthan Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Madan Rathore has sparked a political controversy after suggesting that India would stand with Pakistan if a war broke out between Pakistan and the US.
Speaking at a public event on Thursday, Rathore said India's geographical relationship with Pakistan would influence its position in such a hypothetical conflict.
"If a war breaks out between America and Pakistan today, we are with Pakistan because it is our neighbour," Rathore told the audience.
He subsequently distinguished between a conflict involving Pakistan and another country and a dispute directly involving India.
Referring to matters between India and Pakistan, he said that Indians would stand with their own country and urged the audience to understand the distinction.
The remarks attracted criticism from Congress leaders and other political figures, who questioned Rathore's position on Pakistan and the implications of his statement.
Rathore's comments have drawn attention because of the longstanding political and security tensions between India and Pakistan, which have repeatedly affected diplomatic relations between the neighbouring countries.
His statement concerned a hypothetical war between Pakistan and the United States rather than an actual military confrontation.
The controversy centres on whether Rathore's remarks were intended to emphasise regional solidarity or suggest a broader position on India's foreign policy.
Rathore's statement does not constitute an official announcement of a change in India's foreign policy.
The episode has nevertheless prompted political debate over his remarks and the distinction he drew between relations with neighbouring countries and matters involving India's own national interests.
