Expressing concern, India seeks respect for sovereignty & territorial integrity

India is deeply concerned at the recent developments in Iran and the Gulf region, said the government hours after the US-Israel joint action against Iran and the latter’s retaliatory targeting of Gulf states where Washington has military assets. While seeking safety of civilians in a region that is home to a nearly 10-million strong Indian diaspora, the government also stressed in its tough balancing act that sovereignty and territorial integrity of all states must be protected.

External affairs minister S Jaishankar also spoke to his Iranian and Israeli counterparts, Seyed Abbas Araghchi and Gideon Sa’ar respectively, to express deep concern and to reiterate India’s call for dialogue and diplomacy to de-escalate tensions.





India’s response in the form of a statement by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) was carefully calibrated as it said that dialogue and diplomacy should be pursued to de-escalate tensions and address underlying issues. “We urge all sides to exercise restraint, avoid escalation, and prioritise the safety of civilians,” said the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), adding that Indian missions across the Gulf region were in touch with Indian nationals and had issued appropriate advisories asking them to remain vigilant and follow local security guidance. There are close to 40 thousand Indian citizens in Israel and anywhere between 6 to 10 thousand in Iran.

With the US and Israel reportedly looking to precipitate a regime change in Iran, India was again forced to walk a diplomatic tightrope, caught between its steady ties with Iran that are based on common regional interests and strong signs of improvement in the critical relationship with the US after a period of extreme turbulence.

The attack on Iran also came barely 48 hours after a bilateral meeting between PM Narendra Modi and his counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu in Israel that saw the leaders discussing the US-Iran tensions and Modi offering, if required, India’s support for any efforts towards a peaceful resolution. Significantly, Modi said in his media remarks during the visit, which took place amidst mounting US –Iran friction, that peace and security in West Asia is directly linked to India’s security interests.

The Gulf region is also one of India’s most significant and reliable sources of oil and gas. The diaspora, whose well-being is a major priority for the Indian government, is one of the largest sources of remittances for India. The GCC countries – Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and UAE – are together also India’s largest trading partner bloc.

While India has deepened its strategic partnership with Israel in the past decade or so, its ties with Gulf states have also undergone a complete transformation during this period. India, in fact, now has a strategic partnership with 5 out of the 6 GCC countries, moving from the traditional energy buyer-seller relationship to other domains like defence and security, investment, connectivity and technology.

India will be worried about the likely impact of a full-blown regional war on the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEEC) project that has already been delayed by the instability in West Asia. During his visit to Israel, Modi had said both countries will move forward with renewed momentum on initiatives like IMEEC and India–Israel–UAE–USA (I2U2) to promote regional connectivity.

For India, however, Iran remains a key regional partner, one that New Delhi has not given up on despite President Donald Trump restoring a maximum pressure campaign against Iran. In January this year, India joined China, Pakistan and 4 other countries in voting against a UN Human Rights Council resolution that strongly deplored the crackdown on protests in Iran and extended the mandate of a fact-finding mission for the country.

According to Indian authorities, India’s interest lies in maintaining a functional relationship with Iran, not least because of the strategic Chabahar port in the country that India has helped develop for access to Central Asia and Afghanistan, bypassing Pakistan. The US muddied the picture though last year with its decision to revoke a sanctions waiver for the port that is expected to come into effect in late April.
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