For once, the top line in the agenda for Hillary Clinton's just-concluded visit to India wasn't Pakistan or Afghanistan or even terrorism but the Obama administration's obsessive compulsive desire to turn the screws on Iran and all those who do not back its confrontational approach to resolving the Iranian nuclear question. Put simply, New Delhi is being asked to undermine its own economic and strategic interests by cutting back on oil imports and other commercial transactions with Tehran in order to comply with extra-territorial sanctions that have no basis in international law. As things stand, India is fully in compliance with trading restrictions imposed by the United Nations Security Council on Iran following the latter's refusal to suspend its uranium enrichment programme. But the U.N. sanctions do not cover Iranian crude exports, something the U.S. has now tried to target by threatening Tehran's biggest customers. India has resisted, but the government has not done enough to solve the financial, transportation and insurance problems that the American threats have created for Indian refiners. The Prime Minister can have the satisfaction of telling Ms Clinton that India's energy ties are guided by its national interest. The emerging numbers on Indian oil imports from Iran, however, tell another story.
Apart from its need for oil, there are two reasons why New Delhi must not take the American pressure lying down. India's only reliable land-route into Afghanistan and Central Asia runs through Iran. Second, the current U.S. approach is likely to make the Iranian — and regional — security situation worse, not better. Saudi Arabia and Israel, which is already nuclear-armed, worry that a nuclear-capable Iran would tilt the regional balance and want the squeeze put on Tehran. But too much financial or military pressure could backfire, goading the regime to commit to acquiring a strategic weapon — something it has not done so far. Like others in the wider region, India too would not like to see Iran acquire nuclear weapons. Nor does it want to see a confrontation or war over the issue. As a result, India now has to balance complex, competing interests: the cost of alternative sources of oil against its economic relationship with the U.S.; the potential long-term risks of having another nuclear power in the neighbourhood against the repercussions of another conflict over ‘WMD' in the region. The reason India faces these choices is because everything the U.S. has done since 2005 has made the Persian puzzle more complicated and intractable than it initially was. As friends, we owe it to the Americans — and ourselves — to tell them that the path they are going down now can only produce greater instability and insecurity.
Keywords: Iranian nuclear issue, India-US relations, Hillary Clinton India visit, Iranian crude exports, Indian oil imports
India should keep its strategy clear in the geo-political scenario.It should be independent thinking and unbiased.US is gathering support for putting sanctions on Iran considering its adamant attitude. India has to emerge as a superpower and should not buckle under pressure.India should frame its independent foreign policy.
You agree it not in India's interests for Iran to develop nuclear weapons. It is not therefore also in India's interests to reduce its dependency on Iranian oil as much as possible, particularly given the looming crisis?
When in Rome, do as the Romans do. In India foreign diplomats run down Pakistan. in Pakistan they extol the country as a reliable ally. In what way is the crude deal of India with Iran hurting the US? We should not succumb to US arm twisting.
Based on the relationship with Iran so far and as well as strategically, India should not rely solely on America and obey its orders.At the same time it has to convey the Iran that their nuclear programme would be used for self-defensive purpose only and be secure.
The UPA outfit surrendered our foreign policy to USA the day it took office some 8 years back and has been faithfully carrying out its diktat, resulting in our making more enemies than friends. Our unwarranted involvement in Afghanistan, our betraying Iran twice over at IAEA, our antagonising China and so on have hardly been of favourable for us in the context of vital International Relations. USA has been dangling the carrot of a UN high table seat in return for our becoming an American satellite, as Barack Obama clearly hinted during his 2010 visit. In fact our incumbent head of govt is often referred to as Washington's man in New Delhi! The most alarming part of it all - it is not known whether Hillary Clinton brought this up - is sending the Indian army to Afghanistan post 2014. It time our leaders showed some spine and stood their ground and decide what is good for India, not what is good for USA.
The US has and still continues to support many dictatorial regimes. Saudi Arabia is a case in point. So why does it have to be so paranoid about Iran? At its own convenience the US chooses where to export the high ideals of democracy and where to refrain from it. Iraq was attacked on the pretext of WMDs and a dictatorial regime, we just might have another theatre coming up in the region. If the events so unfold it would be very unfortunate. The US needs to trust countries at some level just like other countries trust the US despite the Hiroshima-Nagasaki bombings, Korea, Vietnam, Lebanon, 2nd Iraq war, etc. Well, the non-exhaustive list tells it all. Despite being a "democracy" some countries hold the power of inflicting far more damage than the worst dictatorship might ever be able to. The US cowboy culture of quicker on the draw has translated as pre-emptive strikes-the first resort of a coward who just cannot take a couple of beatings first.
Yes absolutely! The path that USA has chosen to pursue doensn't augur
well for regional security and stability in near future and world's
peace in long term. i heard ms. Clinton say that USA don't want Iran to
have acquired WMD because it will pose a threat to world's peace. I
fail to understand though why Only Iran's WMD are potentially dangerous
and why their's Israel's and even Indian WMD are potentially peaceful.
One thing must be clear to everybody that you can't dictate others not
to sing a song while you yourself keep dancing on the tunes. I also
read urgency in Ms. Hillary speech to declare that China, Russia UK,
France all are against Iran going nuclear but at the same time she
failed to realize that none of these nations import crude as much as
India does and Indian diaspora in this country outnumber their
counterparts from these nations. US wishes to arm twist us with the
fact that 70% of oil technologies we use is US based. But these two
are independent commercial deals.
The US pressure on India regarding oil imports from Iran
leaves a bad taste in the mouth.Does it not tantamount to
interference in our internal affairs? As long as Mr
Manmohan Singh is the prime minister any directions of
the USA in India's internal affairs and treaties like
nuclear deal are cake walks.As a citizen I am aggrieved
for not getting any assurance from the establishment of
the USA that there would be no further humiliation of our
dignitaries and commoners by the US immigration and
Internal Security officials.We are friends with freedom
and prudence to mind our own business.
India has been firm in it's foreign policy right since independence, and rightly so; we are a country with one of the fastest growing economy. We have recently done an arm deal which is considered world's biggest.
We have to manage our allies ourselves. Today a bold decision by S. M. Krishna to disagree with Mrs. Clinton and reminding her of India's interests in the region. I am proud of my country and and it's governance.
This is brilliant. Clearly, pressure from Israel becomes so intense in an election year in the US through pressures from the Jewish lobby that the US President must be seen to be acting. The sanctions against Iran cannot and will not sustain because of the huge uncertainties in the world Oil Supplies. One disaster in Nigeria can through the markets off keel. India has demonstrated that it has come of age and stood its ground. Iran, despite its sabre rattling, is a responsible Power and we have a very useful conduit to their Leaders, which could be invaluable, when the World needs stability and growth. India must neither shut off Iran's Oil imports nor Iran's access routes to Afghanistan and Central Asia. Pakistan can make overtures to a new relationship, but India cannot afford to alienate the one Country that can provide a counter balance to the Taliban-Pakistan nexus
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