There are accusations in the high-stakes world of diplomacy that are met with silence, and then there are those to which a verbal guillotine descends upon them instantly. That’s the one the Indian government took Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has issued a scathing statement after an email alleging to be from the infamous Jeffrey Epstein estate made a puzzling reference to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s historical visit to Israel in 2017.
The response from New Delhi wasn’t just a denial; it was an act of outright dismissal. Describing the contents as the “trashy ruminations of a convicted criminal” the MEA wanted to disassociate one of this century’s prominent diplomatic milestones from the dark shadow of one of its most disgraced participants.
How the Controversy Began: A July 2017 Email
The cause of the friction is an email dated 9 July 2017—mere days after PM Modi completed his three-day visit to Israel, the first ever by an Indian Prime Minister. The message – which was sent by Epstein to an associate called “Jabor Y”– reportedly made no sense, but was a bragging assertion about the visit’s geopolitical purpose.
Here is what the reported email said:
“Secretary of India Modi took a hint and danced/sang for the US president atop Israel. They had met a few weeks ago. IT WORKED!”
This was in response to the massive dump by the U.S. Department of Justice—and for once, “massive” is justified when it refers to government—of over three million documents under the Epstein Files Transparency Act. Though the files have implicated very many of the world’s elites in an interwoven web of social and financial ties, for sheer other-worldliness, the mention of India’s Prime Minister is difficult to beat—a clear case of “name-dropping” by a man whose own relentless need to be seen as a global puppeteer verges on pathology.
The MEA’s “Utmost Contempt”
The response of the Indian government was swift and uncompromising. MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal issued a statement this afternoon, and made it clear that the government does not consider these documents as evidence but rather delusions of a habitual offender.
“An email message from the so-called ‘Epstein files’ has been brought to our attention which references differences between former Minister Jaiswal said. “Other than the statement of the Prime Minister [to Israel in July 2017], to which it refers, there is nothing else in this e-mails other than salacious mutterings from a convicted criminal and as such should be treated with contempt.”
The government’s strategy is clear:
- Validate the Fact: Admit that the 2017 visit took place (it was a public state event).
- Discredit the Source: Emphasize that Epstein was a convicted human trafficker and sex offender.
- To the Contrary: Describe the allegations as “ruminations” — thoughts or reflections, not encounters that have been documented.
Political Firestorm: The Domestic Fallout
If the MEA had to deal with the international and diplomatic fallout, it was just as quick to notice the political ramifications at home in India. The Congress Party and other opposition leaders piled on to ask how the prime minister could have an “unexplained,” association, even if it seemed it was only a one-sided affair in the emails, with the Epstein orbit.
Congress leader Pawan Khera described the revelations as a “national shame” and said that if a dossier has only the Prime Minister’s name, then it is bound to affect the friendly ties. The PM of India couldn’t possibly have proximity to such a disgraced man and there is the judgement, integrity — questions flying all around,” Khera alleged on social media.
Reacting to the allegations, ruling BJP rejected opposition’s accusations and termed it as desperation. In a statement, party spokespeople said the email seems to be Epstein “bragging” to an acquaintance and not a record of a meeting. They said no world leader could control who wrote about him in the privacy of sloppily written emails, especially from a source as unreliable as Mr. Epstein has proven on numerous occasions to be.
Conclusion: A Stand for Sovereign Dignity
With some unusually strong language – “trashy ruminations”—the Indian government has sought to draw a line and let the media know that the dignity of the Prime Minister’s office is not up for grabs in a tabloid-style scandal. For New Delhi, the 2017 Israel trip remains a linchpin of its modern foreign policy, one that derives from official statecraft and not the backroom “advice” of a disgraced financier.
It is also not yet clear just how much of the dust stirred up by this latest set of leaks will settle down in India, which has its own issues to worry about – it’s all budget season talk as the Union Budget hobbles nearer and closer, with Prime Minister planning a trip to Punjab. While the opposition may struggle to keep the “Epstein Files” in circulation, it seems that it would be dead-on-arrival from a diplomatic standpoint when you consider that the MEA has permanently closed its doors on any further discussion about Epstein.
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