NEW DELHI: India has stopped short of condemning the assassination of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei despite criticizing Iran’s attacks on Gulf states and calling for restraint, dialogue and de-escalation of tensions in West Asia.The calibrated response sparked a strong political reaction at home, with Congress president Sonia Gandhi describing the government’s silence as “abdication” rather than neutrality. She said in an opinion piece in the Indian Express that India’s lack of clear response to the killing “shows India’s acquiescence in this tragedy” and called for a discussion in parliament.
Government response: restraint rather than support
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) limited its public stance to urging “restraint, dialogue and de-escalation”. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has spoken to Gulf leaders including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Jordan to condemn attacks on their territories and stressed the security of the nearly 10 million Indians living in the region.India did not condemn the US-Israeli attack that reportedly killed Khamenei, nor did it offer condolences. Government sources indicate that the sovereign response is guided by national interests, including energy security, diaspora welfare and strategic partnerships in the Gulf.
history of public criticism
Khamenei has repeatedly made comments on India’s domestic affairs over the past decade, triggering diplomatic protests from New Delhi.In 2017, he called on the Muslim world to support what he called the “oppressed Muslims of Kashmir.” After abrogating Article 370 in August 2019, he publicly urged India to adopt a “just policy” towards Kashmir, following which the MEA summoned the Iranian envoy.During the debate on the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) in January 2020, the speaker of Iran’s parliament criticized the law as “anti-Muslim discrimination”, while India rejected it as interference. In March 2020, during the Delhi riots, Khamenei tweeted that India should “confront extremist Hindus”, describing the violence as a “massacre of Muslims” and warning of “isolation from the Islamic world” using the hashtag #IndianMuslimsInDanger. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs once again summoned the Iranian ambassador.As recently as September 2024, Khamenei placed India alongside Myanmar and Gaza in social media posts, prompting official responses from the Middle East and Africa, which called the remarks “misleading and unacceptable.”
Priorities and strategic realignment in the Gulf region
India has stepped up its condemnation of Iran’s attacks on Gulf states including Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, which are major energy suppliers and home to large Indian communities. In separate remarks, Prime Minister Modi stressed the importance of restoring peace in the region and thanked Gulf leaders for ensuring the well-being of the Indian people.External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar also spoke to his counterparts in all six GCC countries after the escalation of hostilities, underscoring India’s stake in regional stability.India’s strategic engagement with the Gulf region has deepened significantly over the past decade, covering areas such as energy, defence, maritime security and connectivity. This coincides with a relatively cautious approach to Tehran.
Iran’s past voting record
India’s Iran policy has evolved over time. Between 2005 and 2009, the Congress-led UPA government voted against Iran three times at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) during negotiations for the India-US civilian nuclear deal. In 2022, the NDA government abstained from voting on a similar International Atomic Energy Agency resolution on Iran’s nuclear program.
Domestic political divisions
Sonia Gandhi believes that the assassination of a sitting head of state during ongoing negotiations marks a “serious rupture in contemporary international relations” and says India’s response raises “serious doubts” about the credibility of its foreign policy.The government has not responded directly to her comments. Indian officials insist that they have always called for peace and stability in the Middle East.As tensions rise in the region amid coordinated U.S. and Israeli attacks and Iranian retaliation, New Delhi has remained cautious in its public messaging, condemning attacks on its Gulf partners, avoiding direct comments about Tehran’s leadership and reaffirming its pro-diplomacy stance.
