What Happened
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a telephone call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the context of the armed conflict between the United States-Israel coalition and Iran that began on February 28, 2026 — just two days after Modi concluded a state visit to Israel
- Modi conveyed India's concerns over recent developments in West Asia, stressed the safety of civilians as a priority, and urged an early cessation of hostilities; India characterised the situation as "a grave concern"
- India's official position reiterated that it has always called for maintaining peace and stability, supports resolution of disputes through dialogue and diplomacy, and will continue working with all parties to ensure the safety of Indian citizens in the region
- Modi called Netanyahu but did not make a parallel call to Tehran at the same time, a calibration that drew commentary about India's tilt in the conflict; however, India subsequently reached out to Iran as well, urging Tehran to ease restrictions on the Strait of Hormuz as the conflict threatened India's energy supply lines
Static Topic Bridges
India's West Asia Policy: Strategic Balancing
West Asia (the Middle East) is one of the most strategically sensitive regions for India, encompassing competing priorities: energy security (60% of India's crude oil imports), remittances (over 8 million Indian diaspora in the Gulf), trade connectivity (Chabahar port, India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor), counter-terrorism cooperation, and relations with both Israel and the Arab states/Iran. India has historically maintained an independent, multi-alignment position in West Asian conflicts — maintaining relations with Israel, Arab states, and Iran simultaneously, while avoiding formal alliances. PM Modi's 2017 visit to Israel (first by an Indian PM) and the Abraham Accords reconfigured the regional landscape, enabling India to deepen Israel ties without sacrificing Arab relationships.
- India imports ~50% of its energy requirements (crude oil, LPG, LNG) through the Strait of Hormuz
- ~8.5 million Indian diaspora in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries; annual remittances exceed $40 billion
- India-Israel relations normalised 1992; elevated to Strategic Partnership 2017
- India abstained on several UN resolutions on the Israel-Gaza conflict in 2023-24, maintaining studied neutrality
- Modi visited Israel February 25-26, 2026; 27 bilateral outcomes announced including 16 agreements and 11 joint initiatives
Connection to this news: India's call to Netanyahu (without an immediate call to Tehran) reflected a diplomatic positioning that was quickly complicated by Iran restricting Strait of Hormuz passage — forcing India to rapidly engage both sides to protect its energy lifelines, illustrating the practical limits of taking sides in West Asian conflicts.
Strait of Hormuz and India's Energy Security
The Strait of Hormuz is a narrow waterway between Iran and Oman, approximately 33 km wide at its narrowest point. It is the world's most important oil chokepoint, through which approximately 20-21 million barrels of crude oil pass daily — about 20% of global oil consumption and 30% of global liquefied natural gas (LNG) trade. For India specifically, approximately 50% of its energy imports (crude, LPG, LNG) transit through the Strait. Iran's ability to threaten or restrict Strait traffic gives it enormous leverage over energy-importing nations, including India. India launched Operation Urja Suraksha — a naval deployment — to ensure safe passage of Indian-linked energy tankers through the Strait during the conflict.
- Strait of Hormuz: 20-21 million barrels of crude oil daily (~20% of global oil trade)
- India's energy exposure: ~50% of crude oil, ~60% of LNG, ~80-85% of LPG imports transiting through Hormuz
- India's urea imports: ~75% from Gulf countries via this route — fertiliser supply chain exposed
- Iran allowed "friendly nations" (India, China, Russia, Iraq, Pakistan) transit through the Strait
- Operation Urja Suraksha: Indian naval deployment for energy tanker protection during conflict
- Over 1.7 million tonnes of crude, LNG, and LPG stranded on Indian-linked vessels during peak blockade
Connection to this news: Modi's call to Netanyahu — and India's subsequent engagement with Iran — was fundamentally driven by this energy dependence. Any prolonged Hormuz blockade would spike India's import bill, fuel inflation, and threaten macroeconomic stability, making West Asian conflict management a direct economic security imperative.
India's Non-Alignment Legacy and the Concept of Strategic Autonomy
India's foreign policy tradition of non-alignment, developed under Nehru and codified in the founding principles of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) in 1961 (Bandung 1955 → Belgrade 1961), has evolved into what contemporary policymakers call "strategic autonomy" — the ability to maintain independent positions on global issues, partner with multiple powers simultaneously, and avoid binding military alliances. This principle is reflected in India's simultaneous membership in QUAD (US-led), SCO (China-Russia-led), BRICS, and bilateral partnerships with Russia. The West Asia conflict tests this doctrine acutely: India's economic, diaspora, and civilisational ties pull in multiple directions, and managing them simultaneously requires careful diplomatic calibration.
- NAM founded 1961 (Belgrade Summit); India was a founding member under Nehru
- India's current foreign policy framework: "Strategic Autonomy" — multi-alignment, issue-based coalitions
- India is a member of QUAD, SCO, BRICS, I2U2 (India-Israel-UAE-US), India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC)
- India abstained or took nuanced positions on UN General Assembly resolutions on Ukraine conflict and Gaza conflict
- I2U2 Group (India, Israel, UAE, US): established 2021 for clean energy, infrastructure, and food security cooperation
Connection to this news: India's initial leaning toward Netanyahu without engaging Tehran simultaneously — and the subsequent correction — illustrates both the continuing relevance of strategic autonomy as a doctrine and the practical difficulty of executing it when competing interests collide in real time.
Key Facts & Data
- Conflict: US-Israel vs Iran began February 28, 2026
- PM Modi visited Israel: February 25-26, 2026 (27 bilateral outcomes: 16 agreements, 11 joint initiatives)
- India's daily crude oil imports through Hormuz: ~2 million barrels (roughly 50% of total imports)
- Strait of Hormuz daily oil flow: 20-21 million barrels (~20% of global oil trade)
- Indian diaspora in GCC countries: ~8.5 million; remittances >$40 billion/year
- Operation Urja Suraksha: Indian naval deployment for tanker protection
- Iran allowed transit for "friendly nations": India, China, Russia, Iraq, Pakistan
- India-Israel Strategic Partnership established: 2017 (PM Modi's Israel visit)
- I2U2 Group (India-Israel-UAE-US) established: 2021
- NAM founded: 1961 (Belgrade); India is a founding member