As tensions escalate in West Asia following US airstrikes on Iran and retaliatory moves by Tehran, India finds itself walking a tight diplomatic rope. The country shares deep-rooted civilisational ties with Iran, yet over the past decade, it has cultivated a strategic partnership with Israel, especially in defence and technology. While Iran opened its airspace for India’s evacuation operations last week, New Delhi has maintained a balanced stance, calling for peace, dialogue, and diplomacy without taking sides.
Strategic interests tied to Iran
Despite occasional criticism from Iran over issues like Kashmir and minority rights, Tehran has never acted against Indian interests. On the contrary, India continues to see Iran as a vital regional player, especially because of the Chabahar port project. Positioned near the Strait of Hormuz, through which 20% of the world’s oil passes, Chabahar gives India crucial access to Central Asia, bypassing Pakistan.
Even though US sanctions forced India to halt crude oil imports from Iran, New Delhi has continued to deepen connectivity and trade ties. A landmark 10-year agreement on Chabahar’s development is part of India’s strategy to counter China’s growing influence through the Belt and Road Initiative and Pakistan’s Gwadar port. Chabahar is also central to the International North-South Transport Corridor, linking India to Europe and Eurasia.
UN cooperation and diplomatic support
India and Iran have supported each other at crucial global forums. In 1994, Iran played a decisive role in blocking an Organisation of Islamic Countries (OIC)-backed UN resolution that could have led to sanctions on India over Kashmir. New Delhi has since shown similar diplomatic understanding. In 2023, India voted against a UN resolution criticising Iran’s human rights record, and a year earlier, it abstained from a vote on probing Iran’s crackdown on protests following the death of Mahsa Amini.
The mutual support extends to cultural and educational exchanges. Under India’s New Education Policy, Farsi (Persian) was included as a classical language, reflecting efforts to deepen civilisational bonds.
Decades of evolving bilateral ties
India and Iran established diplomatic relations in 1950, but the ties gained renewed momentum in 2001 when Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee signed the Tehran Declaration. However, a significant leap came under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who visited Iran in 2016—the first such visit in 15 years—and signed the India-Iran-Afghanistan trilateral agreement to boost trade and connectivity.
Despite growing closeness to Israel under Modi’s leadership, New Delhi has remained committed to its traditional ties with Iran, balancing interests with caution. While India refrains from endorsing either side amid the ongoing Israel-Iran tensions, its engagement with both powers underscores a nuanced foreign policy focused on regional stability and strategic autonomy.
