Advertisement

India watching Iran-Israel conflict closely amid growing fears over trade and energy risks

  • New Delhi has urged de-escalation on both sides, reflecting deep worries about regional instability
  • Analysts say energy imports are a major cause for concern, in addition to trade and security risks

Reading Time:3 minutes
Why you can trust SCMP
0
An artist painting messages on a street in Mumbai calling for an end to the unrest between Palestine, Israel and Iran on April 13, 2024. Photo: AFP
As Indians head to the polls on Friday, New Delhi is closely keeping watch on the escalating Iran-Israel conflict, with tensions in the Middle East translating into energy, security and trade risks for the world’s most populous nation.

“India’s stakes are high. Depending on how the crisis unfolds, India may be forced to make certain choices,” said Harsh V Pant, vice-president of studies and foreign policy at the Observer Research Foundation.

“Trade and energy security are top priorities. If the conflict worsens, the lives of Indian citizens and economic security will be affected,” Pant warned.

Media outlets quoted US officials on Friday as saying Israel had carried out attacks on Iran in retaliation against Tehran’s April 12 drone strikes on Israel, which were in turn spurred by an earlier Israeli attack on a diplomatic post in Syria.

Analysts say India’s swift calls for de-escalation following the drone strikes, as well as Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar’s phone calls to both his Iranian and Israeli counterparts, demonstrate how concerned New Delhi is about the situation.

India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in New Delhi, India on Jan. 15, 2018. During Modi’s time in office, India’s strategic ties with Israel have been strengthened significantly. Photo: AP
India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in New Delhi, India on Jan. 15, 2018. During Modi’s time in office, India’s strategic ties with Israel have been strengthened significantly. Photo: AP

At a public event on Monday, Jaishankar stressed the government’s concern over “an enormously sensitive region” and urged calm. “I’m only saying that for the rest of the world and definitely for India, we would like to find ways of de-escalating the situation,” the Indian minister added.

loading
Advertisement