India's Niggling Iranian Factor

The nuclear deal signed between Iran and 'P-5 plus one' countries on July 14 has led to a set of apprehensions and expectations from different parts of the globe. Commentators have been busy speculating Iran's behaviour in the region as well as with rest of the world in this post-deal scenario. A host of commentaries have also come out from India in the last few days expressing what could be Delhi's apprehensions and expectations.

A section of Indians argue that since India was among the few countries — along with China and Russia — to meaningfully engage with Iran during its days of international isolation, it should find it easier to deepen and strengthen that cooperation further. Others in India?,? however, feel that the country has missed a golden opportunity to do so because of its ambivalence at a time when Iran was desperately seeking friends.

The truth perhaps is somewhere in between. India was among the countries that continued to engage with Iran during much of its period of isolation. Through its purchase of Iranian oil and gas?,? Delhi provided Tehran with the much needed foreign exchange and some of the other essential goods. More importantly, India's engagement also allowed Iran to question the legitimacy and effectiveness of its international isolation that the US and its western allies tried for over three decades.

But India also faltered. There were phases when Delhi buckled under American pressure and decided to go along with the western camp against Iran. This happened not only during the much publicised and also widely criticised vote against Iran's nuclear programme at the IAEA but also on other occasions.

Till recently key members of the Indian foreign policy establishment did not believe a deal between Iran and the West was possible. Many Indian diplomats and officials were also shy of visiting Iran out of fear that this could jeopardise their future visit to the US.

But that said?, ?India continues to figure in Iranian discourse, especially when its future is discussed. During a recent visit to the country this writer found India being mentioned rather fondly and, at times with admiration, by a cross section of Iranians, ranging from former commanders of the Revolutionary Guards to Ayatollahs and also the common man in Tehran streets and bazaars.

While Bollywood, India's pluralistic culture and vibrant society always had great carry among Iranians, interestingly, it was also the country's ability to engage with the US and the West without losing its independence that came up for mention on several occasions. "India can be our model," became a common refrain on many of the discussions when Iranians spoke of their future plan of engagement with the Americans and the European countries.

There is no doubt that Iran's engagement with the outside world would increase manifold in the coming days. A number of countries, keen on grabbing big slices of the 80-million strong Iranian market have already started making their move. India should not drag its feet any longer.

??One way of breaking out of its past reluctance is by organising a high-level political visit to the country at earliest. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had his first meeting with Iranian President Rouhani on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit in Russia's Ufa a few weeks back. He has accepted an invitation from the Iranian President to visit Tehran. Hopefully he will do so sooner rather than later. An early visit by Modi would allow India to put its money where it claims its mouth has been.