NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday called for safeguarding the freedom of navigation and commerce during his meeting with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on the sidelines of the SCO Summit in Kyrgyzstan’s Bishkek. He also emphasised that civilians and civilian infrastructure, including commercial shipping and seafarers, “must not be harmed under any circumstances”.
An Iranian read-out of the meeting said Pezeshkian told Modi that the US had chosen “war over diplomacy” and urged India to use its influence to help restore peace. The two leaders also discussed the Chabahar Port and the Strait of Hormuz, according to the read-out. Pezeshkian said Modi could use India’s “extensive contacts with various parties” to help them move away from the “path of war and bloodshed” and “return to the path of dialogue and agreement”.
Modi, meanwhile, reiterated the need for continued efforts to ensure “lasting peace and stability” in the region, as the two leaders discussed the escalating West Asia conflict, bilateral ties and the evolving regional situation. During the meeting, Modi expressed concern over the escalation of tensions and reiterated India’s consistent position that all issues must be resolved through “dialogue and diplomacy”, according to a release from the Ministry of External Affairs.
The PM also stressed the importance of sustained efforts to restore peace and stability in West Asia, a region home to millions of Indian citizens and critical to India’s energy and maritime interests.
His emphasis on freedom of navigation and the protection of commercial shipping comes amid heightened regional tensions following the US-Israel war on Iran, raising concerns over the safety of maritime trade, civilian infrastructure and seafarers.
In a social media post following the meeting, Modi said India remained committed to strengthening its “long standing friendship with Iran across diverse sectors” and expressed an intention to “expand and diversify our trade basket in the times to come”.
“We had a discussion on the prevailing situation in the region. India will continue to support all efforts aimed at ensuring lasting peace,” Modi said.
Modi also reiterated India’s readiness to closely cooperate with Tehran in multilateral organisations including BRICS and the SCO. The prime minister said he looked forward to welcoming Pezeshkian to
India for the BRICS Summit on September 12 and 13 in New Delhi.