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India’s diplomatic dilemma: Balancing ties with US, Israel & Iran amid tension
India’s diplomatic dilemma: Balancing ties with the US, Israel and Iran amid Middle East tensions
India’s strategic cooperation with the US and Israel has grown significantly. Iran is also a key partner for regional connectivity projects such as the Chabahar port. Balancing these interests requires a carefully calibrated diplomatic approach.
The Middle East is facing heightened tensions as the region is navigating itself through one of the most delicate diplomatic and military tensions in the past several years. Amid this, it remains important to note that India has strategic partnerships with the United States and Israel while also maintaining significant ties with Iran. With the region facing geopolitical conflict and rivalries, India’s cautious messaging and calls for dialogue represent the task of protecting national interests without appearing to take sides.
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The Middle East is crucial for India’s energy security, trade routes, and the safety of hundreds of Indians working or studying in the region.
Meanwhile, India’s strategic cooperation with the US and Israel has grown significantly. Iran is also a key partner for regional connectivity projects such as the Chabahar port. Balancing these interests requires a carefully calibrated diplomatic approach.
According to Ambassador K P Fabian, India’s diplomatic and cautious messaging is a calculated strategy.
"India wants to maintain its rather close relations with Israel. At the same time, New Delhi would urge all concerned to talk rather than shoot," Fabian said.
Dr. Sumit Kumar, Assistant Professor of International Relations, Manipal University also said that India’s cautious messaging is largely a calculated strategy rooted in its tradition of strategic autonomy.
"Rather than taking overt sides, New Delhi seeks to preserve diplomatic space, as endorsed by our foreign minister too, with all stakeholders, while advocating de-escalation and stability. This calibrated approach allows India to protect its energy interests, diaspora safety, and regional connectivity projects without being drawn into the polarising narratives of the conflict," Kumar noted.
When asked how difficult it is for India to maintain relations with Washington, Tel Aviv, and Tehran simultaneously in a rapidly polarising West Asian conflict, Fabian said that while it is a challenge, diplomacy implies the ability to dance with more than one partner at a time.
Kumar agreed that balancing ties is increasingly complex as geopolitical alignments harden, and added, "However, India has historically practised multi-alignment - maintaining strong defence cooperation with the U.S. and Israel while sustaining pragmatic engagement with Iran. The challenge lies not in maintaining these ties, but in carefully sequencing diplomacy so that cooperation with one partner does not appear as strategic exclusion of another."
Kumar highlighted that Iran remains strategically important for India, even though sanctions have reduced direct oil imports in recent years.
"Beyond hydrocarbons, Tehran is central to India’s regional connectivity vision through projects such as the Chabahar port and the International North–South Transport Corridor, which provide India with access to Afghanistan, Central Asia, and Eurasia, bypassing Pakistan. In the long term, Iran’s geography makes it indispensable to India’s continental connectivity strategy," he explained.
There are about 10 million Indians in the Middle East- over a lakh in Israel and about 10,000 in Iran, Fabian said, and also observed that these individuals are more in danger than the rest.
Kumar also noted that stability in the region directly affects remittances, labour security, and evacuation contingencies, making restraint and balanced diplomacy essential. Consequently, India’s messaging often prioritises de-escalation and dialogue to ensure that regional tensions do not translate into humanitarian or economic disruptions for its citizens abroad.
India-Iran trade: New Delhi and Tehran are important trade partners. According to official MEA data, the major Indian exports to Iran are: rice, sugar, tea, pharmaceuticals, artificial jewellery, and more, while major Indian imports from Iran consist of dry inorganic or organic chemicals, fruits, etc.
India-Israel trade: Since 1992, India-Israel trade and economic ties have grown. According to official data, In FY 2024-2025, bilateral trade fell to US$ 3.75 billion due to regional security issues and trade disruptions, with India's exports at USD 2.1 billion and imports at USD 1.6 billion.
India-US trade: Replying to an unstarred question in Rajya Sabha, the MEA said, "India–U.S. merchandise trade during April–November 2025 reached USD 94.44 billion, registering a growth of 12.16% over the same period last year. India’s exports to the U.S. reached USD 59.04 billion (+13%), and U.S. exports to India reached USD 35.4 billion (+11%)."
With strategic partnerships, energy interests, connectivity projects, and the safety of its citizens at stake, New Delhi’s policy of cautious engagement and strategic autonomy will continue to be of significant value.
Source: ZeeNews
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