New Delhi: India could play a meaningful role in fostering peace in West Asia going ahead, though the timing may not yet be right, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said Wednesday, emphasising New Delhi’s cautious but engaged diplomatic posture amid ongoing tensions in the region.
Singh, who is in Berlin on a three-day visit, added, “India has tried… But everything has its time. It is possible that tomorrow, the time may come when India plays its role in this and achieves success as well. We cannot rule out this possibility. The Prime Minister has appealed to both sides to end the war. Our Prime Minister has a very balanced approach to diplomatic matters.”
Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s outreach to global leaders, Singh said, “…When he (PM Modi) met Russian President Putin and the Ukrainian President, he discussed this. Even when he met Mr Trump, he discussed it with him and said that a solution should be found… The way India is moving, you must have seen that in the Strait of Hormuz, no ship from any country was able to pass through. If anyone managed to pass through their seven-eight ships, then it was India… It is not that the US considers India as its enemy, or Iran considers India as its enemy. No, this is a very balanced approach for India.”
Despite the blockade, India has stood out as one of the countries with the most ships to have successfully navigated the route. At least eight Indian vessels have passed through the Strait of Hormuz since the conflict began. Amid firing by Iranian gunboats that forced two Indian-flagged tankers to turn back from the strait Saturday, a tenth Indian-flagged vessel successfully crossed the passage. The vessel, Desh Garima, carrying crude oil, was enroute to Mumbai port.
Since deciding to block the energy corridor last month amid the war with the United States and Israel since 28 February, Iran has intermittently allowed Indian vessels to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, officially designating India as a “friendly nation”.
According to Maritime Traffic data, however, several Indian- and foreign-flagged ships bound for Indian ports remain waiting to cross the strait. Official figures show that 13 Indian vessels are currently in the Persian Gulf, west of Hormuz; six are in the Gulf of Oman, to the east; one is in the Gulf of Aden; and three are in the Red Sea.
Singh arrived in Germany Wednesday after travelling from Munich aboard a special German Air Force aircraft, accompanied by fighter jet escorts. He was received with military honours upon arrival.
While in Germany, Singh is expected to hold bilateral talks with his counterpart, Boris Pistorius, as well as other senior officials, with discussions focused on strengthening defense ties. He is also scheduled to meet with leaders from Germany’s defence industry to advance joint development and co-production initiatives aligned with India’s Make in India programme.
(Edited by Nardeep Singh Dahiya)
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