What Happened
- External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar held his fourth telephonic conversation with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in two weeks (March 13, 2026), marking an unusually intensive diplomatic engagement amid the US-Israel-Iran conflict
- Araghchi called on BRICS to play a "constructive role in safeguarding regional and international stability," framing the grouping as a platform for non-Western multilateral intervention in the conflict
- Jaishankar stressed the need for "dialogue and diplomacy" to achieve early peace, underlined the imperative to avoid civilian casualties, and highlighted India's concerns about the safety of its large community in GCC countries
- Jaishankar specifically raised: the safety of 28 Indian-flagged vessels stranded in the Strait of Hormuz, energy security for India, and the welfare of approximately 8 million Indians living in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries
- The diplomatic engagement followed a practical outcome: Iran subsequently allowed Indian-flagged tankers to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, suggesting the calls are producing tangible results
- Prime Minister Modi had spoken separately with Iranian President Pezeshkian earlier in the crisis
Static Topic Bridges
India's Strategic Autonomy and Multi-Alignment in the West Asia Crisis
India's foreign policy doctrine of "strategic autonomy" — avoiding binding alliances while pursuing partnerships with multiple competing powers — is being tested acutely by the US-Iran conflict. India has security partnerships with the US (defence cooperation, Quad) and simultaneously maintains historical ties with Iran (Chabahar Port development, energy imports), and has recently expanded relations with the Arab Gulf states (UAE, Saudi Arabia). This multi-alignment requires India to simultaneously maintain access to the US for defence technology, access to Iran for energy and regional connectivity, and access to GCC states for its diaspora and remittances.
- India-Iran relations: Chabahar Port development (IPSEZ); India's investments in Iran paused under sanctions
- India-GCC relations: $180 billion bilateral trade; 8 million Indian diaspora; $40+ billion in remittances annually from Gulf
- India-US relations: Major Defence Partnership; Quad membership; technology cooperation
- India's stated position: call for dialogue, ceasefire, protection of civilians; opposition to economic weaponisation of energy
- Previous West Asia conflict involvement: India evacuated 90,000 citizens from Kuwait in 1990 (Operation Pawan precursor: Air India evacuation); 2015 Yemen evacuation (Operation Raahat)
Connection to this news: Jaishankar's four calls in two weeks with Araghchi represent strategic autonomy in action — India is using its relationship with Iran to extract a practical concession (safe passage for ships) without publicly condemning any party to the conflict.
BRICS as a Geopolitical Platform
BRICS (originally Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) expanded significantly in 2024–25 with the addition of Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE among others (BRICS+). The grouping has no formal security architecture or collective defence clause — it operates as a forum for economic coordination and political messaging. Iran's membership in BRICS since January 2024 gives it a multilateral platform to seek support from non-Western powers during the current conflict. Araghchi's invocation of BRICS reflects Tehran's broader strategy of rallying the Global South against the US-led intervention.
- BRICS founding: 2009 (leaders' summit; grouping coined 2001 by Goldman Sachs)
- BRICS+ expansion (2024): Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, UAE, and others became full members
- BRICS New Development Bank (NDB): headquartered in Shanghai; capitalised at $100 billion; India is a major shareholder
- BRICS has no Article 5-equivalent (no collective defence); decisions are by consensus
- Iran joined BRICS: January 1, 2024 — its first major multilateral grouping membership outside NAM and OIC
- The 2026 BRICS chair: South Africa; India held the chair in 2023
Connection to this news: By invoking BRICS, Araghchi is asking India — as BRICS' largest democracy and a country with credibility across the Global South — to use the platform to call for a ceasefire or mediation, leveraging India's moral authority in a way that a US-aligned NATO body cannot.
India's Diaspora in the Gulf and the Kuwait Parallel
India has the world's largest diaspora, with approximately 32 million overseas Indians globally. The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region — Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman — hosts approximately 8 million Indian nationals, primarily as migrant workers. These workers send approximately $40–45 billion in remittances annually, making the Gulf the largest source of India's remittance inflows. Any major conflict in the Gulf triggers concerns about diaspora safety and potential mass evacuation — a recurring challenge given that India has previously evacuated tens of thousands from Lebanon (2006), Libya (2011), Yemen (2015), and Iraq (1990).
- Indians in GCC: approximately 8 million (largest single nationality group in UAE and Qatar)
- Annual remittances from Gulf: approximately $40–45 billion (about 40% of India's total remittances)
- Operation Raahat (2015): India evacuated 4,741 citizens from Yemen; largest non-combatant evacuation since 1990
- Operation Kaveri (2023): India evacuated over 3,800 citizens from Sudan
- India's MEA Emergency Management Division: coordinates overseas evacuation operations
- Consular coverage: India has consulates/embassies in all six GCC states
Connection to this news: Jaishankar's explicit mention of the 8 million Indians in GCC countries during his call with Araghchi signals that India is factoring diaspora safety into its diplomatic calculus — a recurring and powerful driver of India's engagement in Gulf conflicts.
Key Facts & Data
- Jaishankar-Araghchi calls: 4 in 2 weeks (as of March 13, 2026)
- Indians in GCC countries: approximately 8 million
- Annual Gulf remittances to India: approximately $40–45 billion
- Indian-flagged vessels stranded: 28 (753 sailors)
- BRICS+ expansion: Iran joined January 1, 2024
- India's 2023 BRICS chairmanship: hosted New Delhi summit
- India's share of BRICS+ population: approximately 40% (largest single member)
- Operation Raahat (Yemen, 2015): 4,741 citizens evacuated