India on Monday again backed dialogue and diplomacy to end the Iran-US war, with external affairs minister S Jaishankar calling for de-escalation and restraint while emphasising that the government is focused on the security of 10 million Indians living in West Asia and ensuring energy security and unimpeded trade flows.
He also spoke about the three Iranian warships that were in regional waters in connection with an International Fleet Review and a multi-nation exercise hosted by India last month, and said: “The Iranian side had requested permission on February 28 for three ships in the region to dock at our ports. This was accorded on March 1.”
Jaishankar, who made a statement on the situation in West Asia in the Rajya Sabha, said the war that began on February 28 is a “cause of deep concern”, especially as hostilities have continued to intensify and the security situation has significantly deteriorated.
Listing the factors guiding India’s approach, Jaishankar said India is in favour of peace and wants a return to dialogue and diplomacy. “We advocate de-escalation, restraint and ensuring the safety of civilians,” he said.
India will work with regional governments to ensure the well-being and security of Indian nationals in the region, and the country’s national interest, including energy security and trade flows, will “always be paramount”, he added.
The government is also committed to ensuring the country’s energy security, taking into account availability, costs and risks of the energy markets. “For us, the interests of the Indian consumer have and will always be the overriding priority. Where required, Indian diplomacy has supported the endeavours of our energy enterprises in this volatile situation,” he said.
Oil prices have surged past $100 a barrel as a fallout of the US and Israel’s war on Iran, breaching the mark for the first time since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Fears of a prolonged disruption to global energy supplies have also grown with Iran effectively closing the Strait of Hormuz, used to transport 50% of India’s oil imports. These developments have increased concerns in India, the world’s second largest purchaser of crude, with around 85% of its needs met through imports.
Another key concern for the government is the safety of 10 million Indians living in West Asia, with more than eight million concentrated in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, which have both been targeted by Iran’s drone and missile strikes.
“We believe and we continue to believe that dialogue and diplomacy should be pursued to de-escalate tensions and address underlying issues. It is also imperative that the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all states in the region be respected,” Jaishankar said.
“While any development that negatively impacts peace and security in the world is deeply troubling, this ongoing conflict is an issue of particular concern for India. We are a neighbouring region and understandably, have obvious stakes that West Asia remains stable and peaceful,” he said.
Trade between India and West Asian states is worth almost $200 billion annually, and there have been significant investments from the region into the Indian economy over the last decade. “Therefore, serious supply chain disruptions and a climate of instability that we perceive are serious issues,” Jaishankar said.
As of Sunday, almost 67,000 Indian nationals have returned from West Asia on commercial flights, including non-scheduled flights, following the partial opening of airspace, Jaishankar said. Indian carriers operated 15 inbound flights on March 7, and there were 49 flights on March 8 and 50 flights on March 9.
Indian diplomats are assisting stranded transit passengers in hubs such as Dubai, Doha and Abu Dhabi and facilitating international border crossings, including from the UAE to Oman and from Qatar, Kuwait and Bahrain to Saudi Arabia.
“I want to assure the House that every effort is being made that those who are stuck in the region, those who are transit passengers…those who need to come back urgently from this region, we are making every effort for them to do so,” he said.
Jaishankar also expressed concern over attacks on merchant shipping since Indian nationals constitute a large proportion of crews manning such vessels. “We have sadly already lost two Indian mariners and one remains missing in such incidents,” he said, adding that shipping companies had been asked not to send Indian seafarers to Iran.
He also spoke about the three Iranian warships that were in regional waters in connection with an International Fleet Review and a multi-nation exercise hosted by India last month, and said: “The Iranian side had requested permission on February 28 for three ships in the region to dock at our ports. This was accorded on March 1.”
Jaishankar added, “IRIS Lavan actually docked on March 4 in Kochi. The crew is currently in Indian naval facilities. We believe that this was the right thing to do, and the Iranian foreign minister has expressed his country’s thanks for this human gesture.”
IRIS Dena, one of the three warships, was torpedoed and sunk by a US submarine on March 4, while Sri Lankan authorities allowed IRIS Booshehr to take shelter in the country and accommodated its 208-member crew at a naval camp.
Jaihankar provided a detailed rundown of the advisories issued by Indian embassies in Israel, Iran, the UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia between February 28 and March 8, and said the external affairs ministry has set up a dedicated special control room to monitor the situation and respond to queries.
While some Indian nationals in Iran had heeded advisories to leave the country, “many others” disregarded them and remained, he said. The Indian embassy facilitated the relocation of several Indian students in Tehran to places outside the capital, while Indian pilgrims were facilitated for their internal movement. Indian nationals in Iran for business reasons were helped to cross over to Armenia and return home, he said.
Jaishankar said both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and he have maintained close contacts with relevant stakeholders. Modi has spoken to the President of UAE, Amir of Qatar, Crown Princes of Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, Kings of Bahrain and Jordan, Sultan of Oman and the PM of Israel and received assurances that the well-being of Indian nationals will be a priority.
“Insofar as the US is concerned, we have maintained regular contacts through diplomatic channels,” he said. “While attempts have been made, contacts with Iran at the leadership level are obviously difficult at this time. I have, however, spoken to foreign minister [Seyed Abbas] Araghchi on February 28 and March 5. We will continue these high-level conversations in the coming days.”
