VOI World/ Desk
Indian PM Modi held talks with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Bishkek, with the two leaders discussing bilateral ties, trade and the worsening situation in West Asia.
The meeting came at a particularly significant time, with the region facing continuing conflict and concerns over maritime security and commercial shipping. PM Modi stressed that the crisis should be resolved through dialogue and diplomacy and said civilians, including seafarers, should not be harmed.
He also underlined the importance of freedom of navigation and unimpeded trade, issues of particular importance to India amid growing concerns over regional shipping routes and energy supplies. The Strait of Hormuz remains a critical maritime route for global trade and oil shipments.
Beyond the immediate crisis, PM Modi reiterated India’s interest in strengthening its relationship with Iran. Following the meeting, he said India wanted to expand and diversify its trade basket with Tehran in the coming years. The two leaders also discussed ways to deepen bilateral cooperation.
The meeting was PM Modi’s first in-person engagement with Pezeshkian since the latest conflict involving Iran began, adding to its diplomatic significance.
India and Iran share long-standing strategic and economic ties, although their relationship has faced increasing complications from regional instability and US sanctions on Tehran. India has also maintained an important interest in connectivity projects involving Iran, particularly the strategically located Chabahar port.
The Bishkek meeting highlighted India’s effort to maintain engagement with Tehran while continuing to advocate dialogue and stability in West Asia. For New Delhi, developments in the region have direct implications for energy security, trade routes, Indian citizens and commercial shipping.
The meeting also came shortly before US Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned that countries helping Iran circumvent American sanctions could face consequences. While the US remarks were not an accusation against India, they underlined the diplomatic complexities surrounding New Delhi’s efforts to maintain economic and strategic engagement with Tehran.
Against that backdrop, PM Modi’s meeting with Pezeshkian reflected India’s broader approach to West Asia: maintaining long-standing partnerships while pushing for dialogue, maritime security and stability in a region with direct consequences for Indian interests.
