Tag: US-Israel War on Iran

‘Diplomacy Isn’t About Moral High Ground, It’s About Guarding Your Interests’

By Lokmarg

Ayiat Dar, a multimedia journalist and communications professional, says In a world dividing into camps, India’s Strength Lies in not rushing into one. Her views:

As headlines grow louder about rising tensions between the United States–Israel and Iran, the same question keeps popping up everywhere—from TV debates to tea stalls and family dinner tables: “Who should India support?” Some people believe India must take a strong moral stand and openly back one side. But Indian diplomacy has never really been about picking favourites. At its core, it has always been about protecting the everyday interests of its own people.

Choosing a side may sound bold and principled, but in reality, it’s a risky move with consequences that could directly affect millions of Indians. Foreign policy isn’t just about ideals and statements; it quietly shapes the cost of petrol, the strength of the economy, and the safety of Indians working abroad.

For the average Indian household, the “moral high ground” doesn’t make groceries cheaper or keep the lights on. If India leans too far toward the US-Israel alliance, it could strain relationships with important energy partners in the region. Much of the oil that fuels our cars, buses, and homes comes from West Asia. Any disruption there could quickly translate into higher fuel prices and rising living costs back home.

But leaning too far the other way isn’t simple either. If India were to tilt strongly toward Iran, it could risk its growing partnerships with Western countries—relationships that bring investments, technology, defense cooperation, and jobs. These partnerships help strengthen India’s economy and security, and they matter for the country’s future.

Then there is another reality that rarely gets enough attention: Indians working in the Gulf. More than nine million Indians live and work across that region. They are teachers, engineers, nurses, drivers, and construction workers—people who send money home to support families and build better lives. For them, a conflict in West Asia is not just a headline. It could suddenly become a question of safety.

This is why India’s approach often looks like neutrality. But it isn’t about sitting quietly on the fence. In many ways, India is holding the fence steady while the world pulls it apart. By maintaining relations with all sides, India keeps communication open when others stop talking. That ability is valuable in a world where diplomacy is often replaced by confrontation.

Staying balanced allows India to secure energy supplies, protect its diaspora, and continue working with different global partners without getting pulled into someone else’s conflict. It also allows India to act as a voice of calm when tensions rise.

Some critics call this “self-interest.” But for a country of over a billion people, looking after its own citizens is not selfish—it is responsible leadership.

At the end of the day, the goal of foreign policy should not be to win moral arguments on global stages. It should be to protect livelihoods, keep the economy stable, and ensure the safety of its people.

In a world that is constantly dividing itself into camps, India’s strength may lie in refusing to rush into one. Because when the world asks whose side India is on, the answer should remain simple: the side of its own people.

As told to Deepti Sharma

‘India’s Strategic Neutrality Safeguards Our Interests In War Situations’

By Lokmarg

Abhay Singh, an ICSSR Doctoral Fellow in Banaras Hindu University, says India’s multi-alignment foreign policy insulates it from global crises. His views:

In recent years, India has emphasized strengthening its relations with countries around the world and multilateral engagement. Furthermore, India has demonstrated its strategic neutrality in various conflicts between other countries, neither openly supporting nor openly condemning any side. This is the reason that through its foreign policy, even in various conflicts in the world, India has ensured the safe evacuation of its citizens and protected its national interests by fulfilling the needs of civil security and energy without any pressure.

In the current geopolitical landscape—particularly amidst the on-going conflict involving Iran, Israel, and the United States in West Asia and the Gulf region—India has steadfastly maintained its strategic neutrality, prioritizing its national interests above all else. India has adopted a balanced and cautious diplomatic stance regarding this conflict. India has refrained from openly supporting any specific side; instead, it has emphasized dialogue, restraint, and diplomatic resolution. This approach reflects the core tenet of India’s foreign policy: Strategic Autonomy.

Currently, India has placed particular emphasis on safeguarding the security of Indians residing in West Asia—specifically in the Gulf nations—as well as on securing the country’s energy requirements.

Throughout this conflict, India has accorded top priority to the safety of the large Indian population residing in countries such as Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Oman—a demography consisting predominantly of migrant workers.

It was for this very reason that, following the retaliatory bombardment of these nations by Iran in response to US attacks, Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself personally engaged with the heads of state of all these Gulf countries to ensure, first and foremost, the safety of the Indians living there. India initiated dialogue with Iran on other levels only after ensuring the safety of Indians residing in these countries and the safe repatriation of those returning from there.

India sources a significant portion of its energy requirements from various countries in West Asia. A major share of global oil trade passes through the Strait of Hormuz, making it of paramount importance to India. In addition to crude oil, India imports 60 per cent of its LPG requirements—90 per cent of which traverses this very Strait of Hormuz.

Consequently, the security of energy supplies and maritime trade routes constitutes a key priority for India. This is precisely why India has maintained engagement with Iran at various levels; even amidst the on-going conflict—during which numerous incidents have unfolded in the Strait of Hormuz—India has successfully leveraged its diplomatic channels to ensure the safety of vessels transporting energy supplies to the country.

This conflict constitutes a major test for India’s diplomacy—a realm in which India has historically managed its relations with Iran, Israel, and the Arab nations distinctively, operating on multiple levels simultaneously. In this critically important region, India positions itself as a responsible power committed to fostering regional stability and peace.

It is for this reason that, in the context of the Iran–US–Israel conflict, India has adopted a balanced and pragmatic approach; while scrupulously avoiding complete alignment with any single party, it has prioritized dialogue and diplomatic solutions.

Consequently, at a time when other nations across the globe appear to be grappling with the various global repercussions stemming from this conflict, India is proving successful in its diplomatic endeavours by steadfastly safeguarding its national interests—a success exemplified by the safe evacuation of Indian vessels from Iran and the continued safety of Indian nationals residing in the Gulf nations.

(The narrator is pursuing his research on ‘Narratives of Strategic Autonomy – A qualitative study of India’s foreign policy Discourse towards United States’)

As told to Rajat Rai