Ties with Iran and Israel, India calls for ‘de-escalation, step back from violence’

Quite disappointing

Ties with Iran and Israel, India calls for ‘de-escalation, step back from violence’

Within hours of Iran’s attack on Israel, India expressed “serious concern” at the escalation of hostilities between the two and called for “immediate de-escalation”.

Later, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar spoke to both Iran Foreign minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and Israel Foreign Minister Israel Katz and discussed the regional situation.

In his conversation with Iranian FM, Jaishankar said he “discussed the current situation in the region” and “stressed the importance of avoiding escalation, exercising restraint and returning to diplomacy”.

And with the Israel FM, Jaishankar said that he “shared our concern at the developments yesterday” and also “discussed the larger regional situation.”

He said that he had agreed to stay in touch with both Foreign Ministers.

Iran’s attack, with drones, ballistic missiles and Cruise missiles, followed a suspected Israeli strike on April 1 on an Iranian consular building in Syria’s Damascus that killed 12 people, including a senior general. Iran had vowed to avenge the strike.

In a statement, the Ministry of External Affairs said: “We are seriously concerned at the escalation of hostilities between Israel and Iran which threatens the peace and security in the region…We call for immediate de-escalation, exercise of restraint, stepping back from violence and return to the path of diplomacy.” It added: “It is vital that security and stability are maintained in the region.”

The MEA said the Indian embassies in the region are in close touch with the Indian community.

The fact that suspected Israeli strikes were conducted on an Iranian consulate in Syria had given a window to Tehran that it could strike an Israeli facility in a third country or launch attacks from a third country like Lebanon or Syria. However, what has New Delhi worried is the fact that Tehran chose to attack Israel directly. This shows their “intent” to deliver a message to Israel, said a source.

Iranian forces claimed they had targeted a military facility in Israel, which is a message to Tel Aviv as well.

With Tehran re-establishing its deterrence and making a point against Israel, it is expected that the conflict may not escalate right away. Israel’s next steps will determine the future course.

Incidentally, Delhi was expecting an escalation which had led to its advisory Friday asking Indians not to travel to Iran and Israel till further notice.

Tehran’s latest retaliation follows a playbook where it had struck back at US forces in January 2020 when former Quds Force chief Qassem Soleimani was killed. Tehran had responded in days by firing ballistic missiles at US forces stationed at al-Asad Air Base in western Iraq. Iran had attacked two bases in Iraq that housed American troops with a barrage of missiles – Iraqis estimated it at 22 — acting on its promise to retaliate for the killing of the top Iranian commander.

Cut to April 2024. Israeli military’s spokesman, Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, said Iran fired scores of drones, cruise missiles and ballistic missiles and that 99 per cent of the roughly 330 missiles and drones launched by Iran were intercepted, but that “the threat is not over”.

There is a worry in New Delhi that a potential response by Israel threatens to escalate the situation and expand the conflict.

In fact, since the October 7 Hamas terror attacks, the Indian leadership has spoken to its counterparts in the region — Saudi Arabia, Iran, Israel, Egypt, Jordan, Palestine, among others to express concern over possible escalation.

Expansion of the conflict was flagged in talks that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has held with Egyptian President Abdel Fatah El-Sisi on October 29 and French President Emmanuel Macron in January this year.

India has a deep strategic relationship with Israel, especially in the context of defence and security. Both sides share concerns on terrorism as both have suffered in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks. Israel has emerged as a major defence supplier, along with the US, France and Russia, and Delhi remembers it stepping up during times of crisis including the Kargil war in 1999.

India also has a strategic relationship with Iran as Tehran has been one of the major suppliers of crude. Both sides have discussed concerns on terrorism from Pakistan and Afghanistan, Taliban’s treatment of minorities and the lack of an inclusive and representative government in Kabul. Chabahar is another strategic economic project, which acts as a gateway to Afghanistan and Central Asia — since Pakistan denies land transit to Indian goods.

Iran-Israel tension, therefore, has had more than an echo in India.

Tehran was blamed for the February 2012 attack on an Israeli diplomat’s wife in New Delhi. In 2021, after Israel envoy Naor Gilon called Iran “the biggest destabilizer” in the Middle East, the Iranian embassy in Delhi called Gilon’s comments “the childish remarks” of an “evil-minded Zionist envoy.”

While there are about 18,000 Indians in Israel and about 5-10,000 Indians in Iran, there are about 90 lakh people living and working in the Gulf and West Asia.

The West Asia region contributes to 80 per cent of India’s oil supplies. When India has been able to minimise the impact of oil prices due to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war by buying Russian oil at discounted rates, this conflict could hit energy prices.

Shubhajit Roy – 2024-04-14 09:07

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