India, Feb. 28 -- Barely 48 hours after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi wrapped up a high-profile state visit to Israel, where he addressed the Knesset and declared that India stood with Israel "firmly with full conviction", the United States and Israel launched a major joint military operation against Iran on Saturday, raining missiles and airstrikes on Tehran and other Iranian cities. The timing of Modi's visit thus drew sharp and immediate fire from the main Opposition party Congress, with its communications chief Jairam Ramesh accusing Modi of "the highest moral cowardice".

"Two days after Mr. Modi celebrated his visit to Israel, Israel and the US have begun their joint assault on Iran," Ramesh wrote on X.

"This was fully expect...