India-Iran Relations Strengthening at BRICS Summit

• India and Iran held a meeting at the 16th BRICS Summit in Kazan to strengthen their relationship.
• Iran, embroiled in the Gaza conflict, seeks Indian support to de-escalate the crisis. India supports a ceasefire and deescalation at the earliest.
• India is sought after globally to facilitate a peaceful resolution to the conflict, with trust and goodwill across both ends.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Masoud Pezeshkian, acknowledged India’s growing role in the world and potential role in de-escalating the Gaza conflict.
• Both sides discussed strengthening cooperation in key areas such as the Chabahar port and the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC).
• Iran’s importance for India extends beyond the Chabahar port and connectivity options. It holds vast reserves of crude oil and natural gas, accounting for 24% of West Asia’s oil reserves and 12% of the world’s.
• Options for a closer partnership include the Chabahar port, energy supplies, close military cooperation, joint counterterrorism exercises, and development of logistical facilities in the Persian Gulf.
• India’s ability to de-hyphenate ties and engage independently with adversarial nations could be useful in driving ties.
• Despite stray and ‘out of context’ comments, both countries recognize the importance of the bilateral relationship.