Telugu actor Fish Venkat passes away in Hyderabad
'We got it solved through trade': Donald Trump again claims to have stopped India-Pak conflict
Donald Trump signs landmark GENIUS Act, jokes ‘They named it after...’
Jan Suraaj founder Prashant Kishor suffers injury during rally in Bihar, here's what happened
Eknath Shinde makes BIG remark on Uddhav Thackeray, says, 'Maharashtra has never seen...'
DNA TV Show: Big blow to Pakistan as US labels TRF as global terror outfit
India star ruled of England tour due to thumb injury, flies back home for treatment
India's BIG statement on EU sanctions against Russia, says, 'There should be no double standards...'
Isha Ambani-led Reliance Retail's profit rises 28% to Rs...; revenue stands at Rs...
Renowned Tamil actor-director Velu Prabhakaran dies at 68 after prolonged illness
Employee quits with just one line, internet calls it ‘too honest to handle’
Gurgaon couple earns Rs 60 LPA, splits bills equally like flatmates: 'It shows mutual respect'
Watch: Virat Kohli's nephew Aryaveer ready for DPL debut, coach says no 'famous surname' baggage
Time to drop 'Sir Jadeja'? Ajinkya Rahane's big suggestion ahead of Manchester Test
REVEALED: Indian billionaire Sunil Mittal, who runs Bharti Airtel, gets whopping salary of Rs...
EU imposes fresh sanctions on Russia, how will it impact India? New Delhi may benefit as...
Israel-Hamas War: Israeli strikes in Gaza kill 30, here's what we know so far
Viral video: Man performs bhangra on London underground escalator, Internet can’t stop watching
Days after Air India plane crash, Tata Group sets up Rs 500 crore....
What is UAN? Six easy steps to retrieve EPFO's UAN, THESE are...
US President Donald Trump SLAMS Democrats over Epstein Files, says, 'If they had a smoking gun...'
Delhi-NCR: Massive fire at chemical factory in Sonia Vihar, WATCH
Murderbaad – A Gritty, Genre-Bending Mystery That Surprises
Drishti IAS founder Vikas Divyakirti makes new move days after court summons him in defamation case
BIG snub to Pakistan: Donald Trump not visiting Islamabad, last US president to visit was...
India to get 'preferential treatment' by Donald Trump in trade talks? Reports say...
Meet man behind world's largest EV company, who is set to take on Elon Musk's Tesla in India
'Doing good work isn't...': Pune reveals 4 key habits that helped him get promoted quickly
Meet Sadom Kaewkanjana, Thailand's 27-year-old Buddhist monk-golfer making waves at Royal Portrush
Understaanding the Role of Chiropractic Singapore in Treating Back and Neck Pain
Why Funeral Services Singapore Are Among the Most Professional in Asia
The Role of a Wedding Live Band in Creating Unforgettable Moments
Meet man, a successful CA, who left high-paying job to start honey business, now earns Rs...
Start Earning with Quotex: A No-Nonsense Beginner’s Guide
Avitree Bikes: Making a Cycling Revolution in India by Innovation, Sustainability, and Heart
IND vs ENG: Why Rishabh Pant's injury update is bad news for Karun Nair's Test hopes?
Meet IIT grad who worked with Google, now owns company worth Rs 8617 crore, his business is...
Niki Shah Redefines Red Carpet Elegance at Cannes 2025 with a Game-Changing Saree Drape
Teaching The Future: Ensuring The Readiness of Music Students for Tech-Powered Careers
If you use Facebook or Instagram, read it carefully, Meta's AI tool 'Imagine Me' can help you by..
Is Shah Rukh Khan 'the last superstar'? Tanvi The Great's Anupam Kher says 'I think what he said...'
Priyanka Chopra begins her mornings with this Indian breakfast that's great for weight loss
EXPLAINER
Is it the compulsion of realpolitik that New Delhi is moving closer to Israel in an attempt to woo the West, particularly the US? How will it impact Indian interests in the Middle East? Is it the impact of the domestic policy that India and Iran are moving apart after decades of close ties?
Why has India jettisoned its traditional ally Iran, which has batted for it in the Gulf Cooperation Council and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation for decades on several issues, including Jammu and Kashmir? Is it the compulsion of realpolitik that New Delhi is moving closer to Israel in an attempt to woo the West, particularly the US? How will it impact Indian interests in the Middle East? Is it the impact of the domestic policy that India and Iran are moving apart after decades of close ties?
Israel Defence Force bombed nuclear sites and other places spread across Iran when the Islamic nation was holding talks with the US on the same issue, people were shocked. Tehran retaliated to some extent. However, New Delhi sent stronger shockwaves when it distanced itself from the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation’s (SCO) condemnation of Israel’s attacks. It signaled a potential rift in the influential Eurasian political bloc over the conflict, and India's absence made it more sinister.
So, why did India refuse to take part in the discussions or endorse the SCO’s position on Israel’s attacks when at least 80 people were killed, including Iranian nuclear scientists, university professors, top-ranking commanders of the Iranian armed forces, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and even innocent civilians? Did New Delhi back Israel? What is at stake for India and for those countries that endorsed the SCO statement?
In what may best be called a balancing act, External Affairs Subrahmanyam Jaishankar talked to his Iranian counterpart, Abbas Araghchi, and "conveyed the deep concern of the international community at the turn of events". Urging "avoidance of any escalator steps and an early return to diplomacy", he said, "We are closely monitoring the evolving situation, including reports related to attacks on nuclear sites. He also urged both sides to use existing channels of dialogue and diplomacy to “work towards a de-escalation of the situation”.
Why did India not come out openly in support of its traditional friend? Though India has always supported the idea of peaceful co-existence of Israel and Palestine, it has allegedly tilted towards Tel Aviv, partly due to international diplomacy and partly for domestic politics. According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) India is Israel’s largest weapons buyer. Besides, New Delhi sold rockets and explosives to Israel amid the war in Gaza. Israel has recently evinced interest in buying rocket launchers from India.
On the other hand, New Delhi signed a deal with Iran in 2016 for an investment of $8 billion investment in Chabahar port and industries in Chabahar Special Economic Zone. The project includes an aluminum smelter and a urea-making facility. India wants to develop Chabahar port as a transit route to Afghanistan and central Asia.
What will India do next? Will it move closer to Israel and the West, antagonizing Iran and other players in the Middle East?