Amid the latest row over the Pegasus spyware controversy, Congress leader P Chidambaram on Sunday took a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s message on the eve of 30 years of ties between India and Israel coming close on the wheels of the Budget session, reports Hindustan Times.

Chidambaram urged the PM to ask Israel if the latter has any advanced version of the Pegasus spyware that was bought by the Modi government as a part of a $2-billion deal with Israel for military hardware and intelligence tools in 2017, as reported by the New York Times.

The Congress leader said the country can do better with a more sophisticated software ahead of the 2024 general election and pay the Israeli company even $4 billion.

Taking to Twitter, the Rajya Sabha MP wrote, “The PM said that it is the best time to set new goals in the India-Israel relationship. Of course, it is the best time to ask Israel if they have any advanced version of the Pegasus spyware. The last deal was for $2 billion. India can do better this time. If we get more sophisticated spyware ahead of the 2024 elections, we can give them even $4 billion.”

Chidambaram reacted to PM Modi's remark on Saturday when he said there could not be a better time to set new goals to take forward relations between the two countries.

On Saturday, PM Modi issued a special video message, marking 30 years of the establishment of diplomatic relations between India and Israel. "The history of the relationship between our countries is very old. There has been a strong relationship between the people of India and Israel for centuries," PM Modi had said.

The Congress has intensified its attack on the Modi government over the spyware controversy, accusing the government of treason for allegedly “tapping” phones of Opposition leaders, armed forces, and the judiciary.

The party has said it will raise the issue in the Budget session of Parliament starting on Monday, and demand accountability from the Prime Minister and his government.