New Delhi, Aug. 14 -- A day after an exchange between two senior Congress leaders during a party event sparked a controversy involving Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, India on Friday, August 14, stressed that it enjoys strong ties with Italy and highlighted the need to uphold mutual respect in public discourse.

At his media briefing, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, "We have strong ties with Italy. Our ties with Italy in recent years have expanded and strengthened. It is important, as part of diplomatic practice, that we strengthen our ties, keeping in mind being respectful of each other."

Jaiswal was responding to a question on Rahul Gandhi's recent criticism of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's handling...