Emerging contours of Iran-Israel conflict and Indian options

Both Iran and Israel are critically important for India. Besides, being a traditional partner, Iran has assumed increased importance in recent times, which will continue to remain valid even in the future, writes Maj Gen Ashok Kumar.

Written by Guest

By Maj Gen Ashok Kumar VSM (Retd)

With the fast-changing geo-political landscape of the world, the choices left for the nations not involved in the conflicts directly also get limited. It is a huge challenge to remain unaffected from those conflicts wherein, both sides are friends and have strategic relations with India. The emerging Israel-Iran conflict is also such a situation, which will test the Indian resilience in multiple domains be it political, diplomatic, economic or security.

Both Iran and Israel are critically important for India. Besides, being a traditional partner, Iran has assumed increased importance in recent times, which will continue to remain valid even in the future. This relationship therefore needs to be nurtured and sustained. In addition to being a source of energy supply, Iran has gained strategic importance for India wherein India is operationalising Iran’s Chabahar Port as part of a Tripartite agreement between Iran, Afghanistan, and India, wherein India has pledged substantial financial commitment. The original agreement has been replaced by a recent agreement which is long-term and caters for automatic renewal. This single port of Iran is not only going to facilitate its routine access to India for trade between Iran and India but it will also open multiple new vistas for trade and economic cooperation between India, Afghanistan, Armenia, Central Asian Republics (CAR) and European countries as it will give the critical connectivity to International North-South Transport Corridor and thus fasten Indian economic dream of becoming the third largest economy of the world as a run-up to be on the top of the list. India has to make all-out efforts so that Iran does not get involved in a sustained conflict with Israel as it will mean a conflict with the USA which has already started emerging in this region of the world.

Pakistan: Probe ‘launched’ over ex-pm Imran Khan’s leaked photo during Supreme Court hearing

Russia and India Forge Ahead: Visa-Free Tourism on the Horizon

Rise in highway crimes in Pakistan: Student in Karachi kills two robbers, loses life in gun battle

What economic crisis? Top Pakistan leaders own properties worth billions in Dubai, leaks reveal

Coming now to Israel, it has been a country with continuous conflict with Palestine and numerous Arab countries. India has taken substantial time to reconcile with Israel and has now invested reasonable political will to gravitate its relationship in the political domain without neglecting the Palestinian cause. The truth is, India shares one of the best relationships with Israel in the current times which is operative in multiple domains with a special focus on provision of high-technology equipment to the defence forces. With Russian supplies getting adversely affected, Israel constituted an important ally for provision of the defence equipment, especially till the time India achieves self-reliance through indigenous means in the defence domain. It is therefore essential that Israel does not get involved in an intense war with Iran as it is already battling Hamas and Hezbollah.

India has very difficult choices at the moment as both Iran-Israel are important to India for its national interests. The issue will get further compounded if the conflict escalates as a direct entry of the USA will be inevitable. Its defensive support to Israel will switch to offensive support and such an entry of the USA may be checked by the entry of Russia and its allies in support of Iran.

It is not easy to cull out as to how India should respond but some of the recommendations are as under:

• India had always  advocated dialogue-based diplomatic solutions for each situation. It needs to engage with Israel more as Iranian actions have been initiated as a consequence of the Israeli attack on an Iranian complex in Damascus, Syria. It is now the responsibility of Israel to absorb the initial drone attacks launched by Iran and show restraint until Iran escalates it further. India must proactively engage with the USA, Iran, Russia, and Israel  to ensure that this conflict is contained.

• India must fast-track the completion of the Chabahar Port in Iran which has got inordinately delayed. Once this is completed, operationalised and put to use, it will give additional leverage with Iran to shape Iran’s opinion on its regional and world matters.
• A dialogue with the USA is also required as it is expanding its bandwidth to the Russia-Ukraine War, Israel-Hamas War, Houthis interference in the Red Sea, and the potential Iran-Israel conflict. It will become difficult for the USA to meet its responsibilities as discussed with the Head of Japan and Philippines by President Biden recently if China escalates conflict in the South China Sea for integration of Taiwan or other such claims.
• Besides dialogue with multiple stakeholders, India has to discuss with Israel to establish defence manufacturing facilities in India which will not only meet the needs of India and Israel but also the needs of other friendly countries. It will provide Israel a more secure place to develop its defence industry.
• India has to come up with its ‘process fixation’ in totality to promote its indigenisation drive not only to sustain its current inventory but also to produce what is needed by its defence forces in the future in view of the collusive threat from China and Pakistan in addition to its emerging obligations in the new world order.

(The author is Kargil War Veteran and Director General CENJOWS. Views expressed are personal.)