Finland has urged India to play a key role in reducing tensions between the United States and Iran, calling for an immediate ceasefire in the ongoing Middle East conflict. In an interview, Finland President Alexander Stubb suggested that India could help broker peace, highlighting recent diplomatic outreach by Indiaโs External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar.
โWe need a ceasefire. Iโm wondering if India can actually get involved. We saw Foreign Minister Jaishankar call for a ceasefire to calm things down,โ Stubb said.
India steps up talks with Iran
India has intensified engagement with Tehran amid rising hostilities. Last week, Jaishankar held a telephonic discussion with his Iranian counterpart Seyed Abbas Araghchi to discuss the evolving situation.ย During the talks, Araghchi described the conflict as stemming from what he called aggressions by the US and Israel and stressed Iranโs right to self-defence, while warning of wider regional and global consequences.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi also spoke with Iranโs President Masoud Pezeshkian, expressing concern over civilian casualties and emphasising the safety of Indian nationals and the importance of uninterrupted transit for goods and energy supplies.
India safeguards energy and trade interests
Despite rising tensions, India has successfully protected its energy and trade interests. Indian-flagged vessels continue to transit the Strait of Hormuz, a critical oil route.ย Recently, the LPG carrier Shivalik, carrying around 40,000 metric tonnes of fuel, safely reached Gujaratโs Mundra port. Another tanker, Jag Laadki, is on its way from the UAE, and Nanda Devi is expected to dock in Kandla soon.
Jaishankar said that direct talks with Iran are crucial to reopening the Strait of Hormuz, through which roughly 20% of global oil shipments pass. He said negotiations are โalready yielding some resultsโ and emphasized that India prefers โreason and coordinationโ over avoiding engagement.ย
However, he clarified that India has not yet formalized any blanket arrangement with Iran for the movement of its vessels, which are currently handled on a case-by-case basis.
Strait of Hormuz remains critical
Iran has kept the Strait of Hormuz open for most countries but restricted for ships linked to the US, Israel, and their allies. The blockade has raised concerns over energy security, especially in Asian markets like India and China, as the strait handles a fifth of the worldโs crude oil and natural gas.
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