Why India will face political and trade hurdles as long as Iran’s Islamic regime remains in power
Iran. New Delhi may see the attack as an opportunity to improve ties with Tehran and open a second front against Pakistan. That would be a mistake.
India needs only to consider the aftermath of the October 7 terrorist attacks by Tehran-backed Hamas in Israel to realise this. That assault has led to a growing chain of military conflicts that negatively affect India's vital national interests in trade, energy and transport.
Here's how Iran's actions and policies are undermining India's interests:
Trade blocks
Houthi attacks on the Red Sea threaten Indian commerce through that corridor. In 2022, India exported ₹67 billion worth of goods to the EU, and imported ₹47.6 billion. Most of this trade goes through the Red Sea. Using other routes would significantly increase transportation and final costs of goods.
Energy insecurity
The regime in Tehran has directly targeted ships passing through the Persian Gulf and Sea of Oman. In one case, an Iranian drone attacked a tanker going from Saudi Arabia to India, putting the latter's energy security at significant risk. The Persian Gulf is a key area of interest to India. Even after increased imports of cheap oil from Russia due to sanctions against Moscow, New Delhi still imports most of its oil from the Persian Gulf.
Aiming new routes
One of the key aims of the October 7 Hamas attacks was also to disrupt the new trade routes that lie at the heart of India's future economic growth. Offering an alternative to China's BRI, the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC)
