Emerging Trends in the Indo-Iranian Relations
Dr.K.M.Sajad Ibrahim
India’s desire to enter into relations with global power has brought about significant changes in its foreign policy objectives. In the post-cold war period India has been under the dilemma of articulating its position on major global issues. While entering into dialogues with the United States for promoting the nuclear programmes, the Indian decision makers have lost sight of protecting India’s age-old foreign policy goals. Now the Indian leaders have to depend on the US terms and conditions to finalise its relations with all other countries in the world. Iran was the first victim of this unprecedented tendency of Indian foreign policy direction.
Over the last six decades, the relations between India and Iran have undergone varying degrees. In fact, ‘Pakistan factor’ had been considered as the most important stumbling bloc in between India and Iran for a long period. In the post-Islamic revolution period, ‘secular factor’ minimised the relation between India and Iran. However, both the sides realised the significance of maintaining good relations for mutual benefit. Energy cooperation was one of the major areas which found much headway during this period. India’s desire to resolve its energy crisis provided an opportunity in the furtherance of its relation with Iran. Moreover, the value of such a friendship promoted the interest of the Indian labour force in the Gulf region, as India was looking for a close ally from the Islamic world. It was during this period India’s attention was diverted to explore close ties with the US, the arch enemy of Iran, to promote nuclear energy cooperation. Hence the Indo-US civilian nuclear deal impaired the Indo-Iranian friendship. At present India has no hesitancy of giving up its relationship with Iran since the close ties with the US and Israel far outweigh those it can get from its friendship with Iran. So this factor would be the crucial determinant of India’s future relations with Iran.
