Modi and Iran's Pezeshkian hold Delhi talks: West Asia, energy and BRICS on agenda

Prime Minister Narendra Modi held talks with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian in New Delhi on Friday, reviewing the overall situation in West Asia and charting a path for expanded bilateral relations. It was their second meeting in less than two weeks.

The talks took place hours after Mr. Pezeshkian arrived in the national capital to attend the BRICS summit. This is his first visit to India as President of Iran.

The meeting is significant because it comes amid a sharp rise in tensions in West Asia, following fresh punitive economic measures imposed by the United States on Iran.

External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said on social media: "India and Iran share civilizational ties, marked by robust cultural and people-to-people bonds. As BRICS partners, the two countries are working to contribute to shared progress and prosperity."

Before leaving for New Delhi, Mr. Pezeshkian underlined the need for BRICS to focus on boosting its economic resilience. "The new BRICS bank was created to free countries from reliance on the dollar and to stand against America's push for dominance," he said. He was referring to the New Development Bank, established by the BRICS grouping in 2014.

Mr. Modi had met the Iranian leader in Bishkek on August 31, where he conveyed that India supports all efforts towards ending the conflict. Mr. Pezeshkian, in turn, urged Mr. Modi to use India's extensive contacts with various parties to help them move away from the path of war and bloodshed and return to dialogue and agreement.

In Friday's talks, the Indian side was expected to again underline the importance of ensuring freedom of navigation and the protection of civilians and civil infrastructure in the region.

Global oil supplies have suffered severe disruption following Iran's blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, considered the world's most critical energy chokepoint, through which roughly 20 per cent of global petroleum flows.

The disruption matters directly to India, which imports over 80 per cent of its crude oil requirement, a large share of it from West Asia. Any prolonged interruption at the strait therefore has a bearing on the country's energy security and on fuel prices.

India has long balanced its relations with Iran against its partnerships with the United States, Israel and the Gulf states. New Delhi has not joined the unilateral sanctions imposed on Iran by other countries, while complying with sanctions mandated by the United Nations. It has consistently called for de-escalation and for disputes to be settled through dialogue and diplomacy.

The two countries also cooperate on regional connectivity, including the Chabahar port project in Iran, which India has developed as a trade route to Afghanistan and Central Asia.

Mr. Pezeshkian's visit to India is part of a wider round of engagements around the BRICS summit hosted in New Delhi, where member states are discussing trade, payment systems and economic cooperation. India's ties with Iran, and with Iran's regional neighbours, are being watched closely by partners across West Asia and beyond.