Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi lands in Delhi on Thursday with speculation centering around recent remarks about Tehran offering “it’s good offices for dialogue between India and Pakistan.”
Aragchi is presently in Islamabad and according to the Iranian Foreign Ministry, will focus on enhancing bilateral relations and addressing latest developments at regional and international levels.
Given India’s well known aversion for any kind of mediation, there’s probably more to this visit than what the public narrative conveys.
Iran’s Importance
“Iran is important for India because of security, connectivity and economic reasons,” says Associate Prof Rajan Kumar of Jawaharlal Nehru University. “India has built Chabahar port and was expected to connect the port to Afghanistan through rail and road networks. But because of sanctions, the project is yet to be completed.”
The International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) — a key trade route passing through Iran — is technically operational but incomplete. Once fully functional, it could facilitate India’s access to Eurasian markets.
“but conflicts between Israel and Iran have delayed its operationalisation,” Prof Rajan, add to that the uncertainty caused by US-Iran tensions over its nuclear programme.
Afghanistan Angle
The visit may provide an opportunity to discuss Afghanistan. Iran is ahead of India in terms of normalising ties with the Taliban in Kabul. The Afghan embassy in Tehran is run by the Taliban while India is yet to make up its mind on that score.
But the Indian senior diplomat handling Afghanistan was in Kabul last week. M Anand Prakash called on Acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, seen as a calculated effort to ensure Kabul’s neutrality in the event of an India-Pak escalation.
Muttaqi had his own demands including revival of diplomatic and economic ties with India. He acknowledged Afghanistan’s dependence on India for humanitarian aid, infrastructure development, and breaking diplomatic isolation.
Prakash reiterated that Afghanistan remains important to India and expressed hopes of expanding cooperation, including investments in infrastructure projects.
“New Delhi’s outreach to Kabul makes sense because all the major players have initiated talks and are in the process of normalising their ties. Russia, for instance, has delisted Taliban from the list of terrorists,” says Prof Rajan Kumar.
“The Taliban is also in talks with the US for recognition as a legitimate regime. Under these circumstances, it became imperative for India to change its policy of complete isolation and seek to regain the lost ground. The terrorist attack in Kashmir enhanced the significance of Afghanistan in providing regional stability and security,” he adds.
Clearly, Aragchi’s visit holds promise but with the caveat that if the intention is to mediate between India and Pakistan, he must stop now.
