Ties reset: On India-Iran relations

News: Iranian Foreign Minister’s first visit to India recently has many implications for bilateral relations, but it is the multilateral context and timing that stand out.

Why the visit holds significance?

This is the first visit by a member of the 57-member Organisation for Islamic Cooperation, which took offence to comments made in India on the Prophet.

– The controversy has overshadowed India’s other diplomatic engagements. As a result, this visit was an opportunity for India to project that it has successfully calmed the Islamic world with the actions of the ruling BJP against its spokespersons.

The Iranian visit comes a week after that of Israeli Defence Minister. New Delhi has always sought to run a balance in ties between the two rivals.

It also coincides with the meeting of the Board of Governors of the IAEA in Vienna, which has passed strictures against Iran for its nuclear programme.

For Mr. Abollahaian, the visit would be portrayed as a show of support from a powerful country.

Afghanistan issue: In addition, Iran and India discussed the situation in Afghanistan under the Taliban, just days after an Indian envoy made the first outreach to Kabul.

– To this end, India and Iran have discussed further operationalising the Chabahar port, where goods to Afghanistan were sent before the government in Kabul fell last year.

Finally, against the backdrop of the Russian war in Ukraine, and western sanctions, Iran has also been keen to convince New Delhi to restore its crude oil purchases, which it cancelled in 2019, after threats of U.S. sanctions.

– External Affairs Minister of India made a statement wherein he called for the U.S. and Europe to allow Iranian and Venezuelan oil back into the international market if they want India to lower Russian oil imports. He accused the West of “squeezing” all alternative sources for India.

What are the bilateral issues b/w two countries?

Many promises of the last summit in Delhi left unrealised.

India has drastically cut its Iranian engagement due to sanctions, while Iran has looked to China for more infrastructure investment.

Bilateral trade dropped to just over $2 billion (2020-21) from $17 billion (2017-18).

Ties also appeared to have been hit by New Delhi’s surprise decision to join the Israel-India-UAE-U.S. group, portrayed as an “anti-Iran” coalition.

Way forward

Mr. Abdullohaian’s visit, and a possible visit by Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, may be the start of a reset of traditionally strong ties even if it is one that is affected by developments in other parts of the world.

Source: This post is based on the article “Ties reset: On India-Iran relations” published in The Hindu on 10th June 22.