Prime Minister Narendra Modi brokering peace in the Middle East is the most probable thing to do. In fact, he is the only one in a position to do that, since India has not taken any clear sides in the war, although it is “seen” to be on the side of US-Israel.
The Middle East desperately needs a peace broker. It needs some great statesman who enjoys a good equation with all the stakeholders and Prime Minister Modi best fits the case. US President Donald Trump has often and repeatedly been saying Modi is his “very good friend” and “one of my greatest friends”. His personal relationship should not be viewed in the context of the US tariffs on India. Those tariffs have been imposed on all nations, including trusted allies like Canada and Japan.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu describes Modi like a “brother”. Their close bonding is an acknowledged fact.
Iran may seem to be upset with the Indian leadership for not taking a clear stand in its favour, but the Iranian leadership does understand New Delhi’s compulsions in the contemporary world order as Trump has completely upset the rule-based global order.
Given the situation and circumstances India is placed in, Modi could not have taken a better or a different position. There is no wisdom in taking a direct position against the United States. India, in fact, did not take any sides during the Russia-Ukraine War either. This goes with the traditional Indian stance of remaining “non-aligned”, although not in the true sense. In fact, even during the heydays of the non-aligned movement during the Cold War, India was seen to be, and rightly so, inclined towards the Soviet Block.
Russia, being itself engulfed in a long drawn war with Ukraine, is not in a position to offer to broker peace. It indeed does enjoy a good relationship with Iran. However, it remains completely hostile towards Israel and has strained relations with the US right now. This is despite a reasonably good personal equation Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin enjoy. Hence, Russia remains out of question.
China again is not in a position to broker peace, since it is seen as an indirect stakeholder in the war. It has clearly aligned with Iran and is also providing all sorts of support to the country.
Also read: India’s pragmatic take on Iran
The other two permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, France and Britain are clearly on the side of the US. They have always remained opposed to the Iranian regime and subscribe to the same view about Iran as do the US and Israel.
With the Security Council members remaining divided, there is no important and influential country other than India with an experienced mass leader like Modi at the helm. Modi’s plus point is that he enjoys good personal relations with important stakeholders. He also remains in contact with all of them, including the Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian who he interacted with on March 12. This was for the first time since the US attacked Iran.
As of now there appears to be no silver lining on the horizon. The two sides are inflicting huge and heavy damages on each other. Of course the outcome of the war is a foregone conclusion as Iran cannot sustain and survive for long in the war with the US, but currently the country is giving its opponents a run for their money. Thousands of lives have been lost so far, an overwhelming majority of them being Iranians. The war is taking a daily toll of hundreds of people. There are no exact estimates about the casualties, but the numbers are alarmingly high.
President Trump has been frequently claiming that Iran has offered to negotiate but the US has rejected it. Iran on the other hand has rejected all such claims saying it has not made any peace offer. Both the countries right now have imposed almost impossible conditions to end the war.
For the US, regime change and Iranian commitment towards not building a nuclear bomb are the two main conditions for ending the war. Iran, on its part, has been saying that it will not end the war till all the US bases in the neighbourhood are not withdrawn. Both conditions are highly improbable.
All wars end, no matter what the intensity of the rhetoric that goes along. All wars have ended, so will the US-Iran war. Moreover, when it is not confined to the three nations, US, Israel and Iran alone. It has involved almost the entire world with the global economy facing one of the worst challenges ever. Energy supply has been badly disrupted, which can never be restored to normal till the war does not end.
Under these circumstances the world needs a leader who can take the lead towards peace. Prime Minister Modi must take the lead and use his personal relations and influence with the leaders involved. Modi can do it very well. He is endowed with all the attributes to accomplish peace in the Middle East. He must make a beginning.
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