New Delhi, March 20 -- Congress leader Shashi Tharoor has described India's response to the ongoing West Asia crisis as an exercise in "responsible statecraft," stressing that restraint in such a volatile situation reflects strength rather than weakness.

In an interview with ANI, Tharoor said, "Restraint is not surrender. Restraint is strength... it shows that we know what our interests are and we will act first of all to protect our interests."

Referring to the conflict involving Iran, Israel and the United States, Tharoor said India should have expressed condolences earlier following the killing of Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Khamenei, while maintaining a cautious diplomatic stance.

"There is a difference between condemnation and...