New Delhi:

India, troubled by escalation from Iran and Israel, advises both countries to exercise restraint. The Foreign Ministry said this morning that tensions must be resolved through “dialogue and diplomacy” following yesterday’s drone attack by Tehran.

Late last night, pro-Palestinian Iran launched a drone attack on Israel amid its war with Hamas. The Israeli military said most of the more than 200 ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and attack drones were intercepted before landing with the help of Israel’s allies. Tehran said it was an act of “self-defense” after the attack on the Iranian diplomatic mission in Damascus.

New Delhi called the situation a “humanitarian” tragedy and expressed serious concern over the escalation of hostilities, which threatens peace and security in the region.

“We call for immediate de-escalation, exercise restraint, stop violence and return to the path of diplomacy. We are paying close attention to the development of the situation… It is crucial to maintain security and stability in the region,” the ministry said in a statement.

Escalation has been expected since Israel launched its war against Hamas. Last week, India issued an advisory urging its citizens not to travel to Iran or Israel and asking Indians living in the two countries to observe “maximum precautionary measures.”
Now that the escalation has taken place, it puts India between two countries with which it has close ties.

Since the New Democratic Alliance government came to power, India’s strategic relationship with Israel has continued to escalate. India and Israel have cooperated in various fields from defense to technology for decades. Prime Minister Modi visited Israel in 2018 and his personal chemistry with Prime Minister Netanyahu was very good. Israel is one of India’s largest defense suppliers, along with the United States, Britain, France and Russia.

India has a long history of positive relations with Iran – one of India’s major oil suppliers.

India was Iran’s second-largest oil importer before sanctions were imposed over its controversial nuclear programme. India has been unable to buy oil from Iran for four years, but relations between the two countries remain close.
India and Iran concluded a defense agreement in 2002. Earlier this year, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar visited Iran, where India is investing in the Chabahar port.

While India does not consider Hamas a terrorist organization, the attacks on Israel prompted retaliation and were treated as terrorist attacks.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the first Indian prime minister to visit Israel, called it an “act of terror” on Twitter. India has taken this to send a clear message that it will join Israel in the fight against terrorism.

Meanwhile, India has been vocal about the humanitarian tragedy in Gaza. New Delhi, which has long advocated a two-state solution, continues to help the Palestinians.