Israel, Iran show restraint, India must prevail on both of them for sake of Asia
India can now breathe a bit easier, at least for the moment, now that Israel and Iran both friends of India, appear to have stepped back from the brink of tipping the Middle East into all-out war.
Israel’s retaliatory strikes on Iran and Syria caused limited damage. The restrained action came after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government was urged by India and many others including USA to temper its response to Iran’s unprecedented direct attack on Israel last week and avoid an escalation of violence in the region. Iran’s barrage of drones and missiles inflicted little damage that had followed a suspected Israeli attack on the Iranian consulate in Damascus this month that killed two generals.
Iran’s public response to the Israeli strikes Friday also was muted, raising hopes that Israel-Iran tensions — long carried out in the shadows with cyberattacks, assassinations and sabotage — will stay at a simmer.
The situation remains a delicate one for India as its election process started in earnest in the face of headwinds in the Middle East, Russia and the Indo-Pacific. All are evaluating the leadership potential on the International stage too of PM Modi, as he showed to Indian voters during the Galwan crisis with China and earlier at Dokalam, integration of Jammu & Kashmir, Ukraine Conflict and the G20 summit, that a Modi third term would bring a measure of calm and renewed respect for India on the world stage.
Foreign policy matters are not typically the top issue for Indian voters. This is expected to be a bit different this time, with the economy and border security carrying greater resonance as always.
But previous polling suggests that foreign relations concerns could have more relevance this time with voters than in any election since 1971, when voter satisfaction over the Indo Pak War was a major factor in the Indra Gandhi’s land slide victory.
Modi has staked enormous political capital on his response to making India the third largest economy before 2030 and fully developed by 2047 as well as his backing of Uniform Civil Code, CAA and Sanatan Dharma.
The apparent de-escalation of tensions between Israel and Iran also comes as India is about to give importance to Chabahar Port for Indian trade with Afghanistan, Central Asia and further with Europe.
