The government quickly distanced itself from the retired army officer’s comments, but Arya remains defiant
NEW DELHI — Major Gaurav Arya, a retired Indian Army officer who regularly appears on TV channels as a defence expert, has come under fire for making abusive and Islamophobic remarks against Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, triggering a diplomatic wrangle between India and Iran.
In a video posted on May 8 to his YouTube channel Chanakya Dialogues, Arya referred to Araghchi as a “son of a pig” and accused Iran of interfering in India’s internal affairs. The comments were made while Arya was discussing Operation Sindoor launched by India, attacking militant targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
During the video, provocatively titled “Indian Army Strikes Back, Pakistan is Burning,” Arya criticised Iran’s diplomatic outreach to both India and Pakistan amidst rising tensions between the two neighbours. He accused Iran of siding with Pakistan due to shared religious affiliations, stating that Iran had intervened “because they are both Muslim countries.” At one point, Arya highlighted an image of Araghchi and superimposed the word “PIG” over it.
The Iranian Embassy in New Delhi issued a sharp response, condemning Arya’s remarks as offensive and culturally insensitive. “Respect for guests is a long-standing tradition in Iranian culture. We Iranians consider our guests to be ‘beloved by God.’ How about you?” the embassy said in an official statement.
The Indian government quickly distanced itself from Arya’s comments, emphasising that he is a private citizen and does not represent the official position of India. The Indian Embassy in Tehran also issued a clarification, stating that the views expressed in the video were inappropriate and not endorsed by the Indian government.
Despite the backlash, Arya remained defiant, reaffirming his statements in a follow-up message. He claimed he was “speaking the truth” and dismissed the possibility of any governmental censure.
The controversy unfolded against the backdrop of Operation Sindoor strikes after the April 22 Pahalgam tragedy. Pakistan responded with drone and missile strikes targeting Indian military installations and civilian areas. After three days of heightened military confrontation, India and Pakistan agreed to a ceasefire on May 10.
