The Pulse | Diplomacy | South Asia

Iran War and India’s Diplomatic Failures

A country of India’s size and energy dependence cannot afford to place all its geopolitical bets on one side of a regional divide.

India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu shake hands during Modi’s visit to Israel, February 26, 2026.

The recent shortage of LPG and rising petrol prices in several Indian cities is not merely an economic disruption; it is also the consequence of a deeper diplomatic failure. What is unfolding in Indian kitchens and restaurants today reflects the costs of India’s growing alignment with the United States and Israel, while abandoning the cautious neutrality that once defined its West Asia policy.

In a region where conflicts can disrupt global energy flows overnight, India’s decision to drift away from long-standing partners such as Iran now appears increasingly short-sighted.

For decades, India maintained a delicate balance in West Asia. It cultivated strong ties with Iran for energy security and regional connectivity, while also maintaining cordial relations with Israel and the Arab Gulf states. This policy of strategic autonomy ensured that India remained on good terms with competing regional powers without becoming entangled in their rivalries.

That equilibrium has eroded in recent years.

Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India has visibly deepened its strategic partnership with Israel and strengthened its geopolitical alignment with Washington. While closer relations with these partners brought advantages in defense and technology, they also came at the cost of weakening India’s independent posture in the region. Iran — once among India’s most reliable energy partners — gradually slipped down the priority list.

The consequences of that shift came to the fore during Modi’s much-hyped visit to Israel, where he described Israel as the “fatherland” and India as the “motherland,” with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu bestowing upon him the “Medal of the Knesset.”

The killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei further exposed the contradictions in India’s current foreign policy. New Delhi did not strongly condemn the United States and Israel for the killing, even as tensions across West Asia surged. More tellingly, reports indicated that Indian diplomats were initially instructed not to sign condolence books at Iranian embassies — a move widely interpreted as an attempt to avoid offending Israel and the United States.

But silence in diplomacy........

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