India has expressed deep concern over the rapidly escalating conflict in West Asia following joint military strikes by the United States and Israel on Iran and Tehran's subsequent retaliatory attacks across the region.
Through official statements, diplomatic outreach and advisories to Indian nationals, New Delhi has underlined restraint, dialogue, and the safety of civilians and Indian citizens as its core priorities.
Call for Restraint and Dialogue Is India's Official Position
Reacting to the developments, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Sunday said India is “deeply concerned at the recent developments in Iran and the Gulf region” and urged all parties to avoid further escalation.
In its statement, the MEA said, “We urge all sides to exercise restraint, avoid escalation, and prioritise the safety of civilians.”
It further stressed that “dialogue and diplomacy should be pursued to de-escalate tensions and address underlying issues,” and added that “sovereignty and territorial integrity of all states must be respected."
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So far, India has not taken sides in the conflict and has refrained from issuing any statement directly endorsing or condemning the military actions of any one country.
However, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar held a series of phone conversations with key international counterparts following the US-Israel military strikes.
According to a report by NDTV, Jaishankar spoke with Iran's Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi, Israel's Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar, and several leaders from West Asia.
After his call with Araghchi, Jaishankar said on social media, “Shared India's deep concern at the recent developments in Iran and the region.”
In his conversation with Sa'ar, Jaishankar said he reiterated “India's call for dialogue and diplomacy to de-escalate tensions.”
Jaishankar also held discussions with Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, Kuwait's Foreign Minister Sheikh Jarrah Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, and Bahrain's Foreign Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani.
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He separately spoke to Qatar's Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani and the UAE's Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan. Those discussions with Gulf leaders focused on regional peace and stability, NDTV reported.
Earlier on Monday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a telephonic conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to discuss the deteriorating security situation in West Asia. During the call, Modi conveyed India's concerns over the recent developments and stressed the need to prioritise civilian safety, PTI reported.
According to an official statement, Modi underlined the importance of ending hostilities at the earliest.
Separately, the prime minister also spoke to the President of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, on Sunday night. During the conversation, Modi condemned the attacks on the Gulf nation and expressed India's solidarity with the UAE amid the ongoing regional tensions. It is worth noting that India has a large expatriate population in the region.
According to official estimates cited by Hindustan Times, over 90 lakh Indians live and work across the Middle East, with the largest numbers in the UAE. Around 10,000 Indians are in Iran, while more than 41,000 reside in Israel.
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Congress Condemns Killing Of Khamenei
The Indian National Congress condemned the US–Israel strikes that killed Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The Congress termed the incident a serious escalation with implications for regional stability.
However, the Government of India has not issued any specific statement on reports regarding Khamenei's death and has limited its response to expressing concern over the broader escalation.
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