Sir — New Delhi’s deep diplomatic engagement in West Asia is aimed at ensuring its strategic security and ensuring that its economic concerns are met. In the current realignment of forces in West Asia, it looks India will not take sides. It will tango with Sunni Saudi Arabia as well as Shia Iran. Israel may hate Iran and work tirelessly to clip Tehran’s wings but cannot influence India’s stand vis-à-vis the latter.
Iran has offered India two tantalising but juicy carrots: A stake in a lucrative gas-field and access to landlocked Afghanistan without going through Pakistan. Iran’s permission to India to operate its Chabahar port is a teaser. Iran also wants India to set up an industrial complex next to the port and build a railway line to its Afghan border. The politics is good: Both Iran and India are wary of Sunni militancy incubated in Pakistan. New Delhi must actively nourish ties with Tehran.