‘Dialogue is yielding results’: Jaishankar reveals India’s quiet diplomacy with Iran to ease LPG pressure

External Affairs Minister of India S Jaishankar has said that direct talks with Iran are ‘yielding results’ as India works to restore shipping through the Strait of Hormuz amid rising tensions in West Asia.

In an interview with the Financial Times, Jaishankar said New Delhi is engaged in discussions with
Tehran to help reopen the
strategic waterway, through which roughly a fifth of the world’s oil shipments pass.

“I am at the moment engaged in talking to them, and my talking has yielded some results,” he said in the interview. “This is ongoing. If it is yielding results for me, I would naturally continue to look at it.”

India emphasises dialogue with Tehran

Jaishankar said India believes continued engagement with Iran is the most productive approach to
resolving the situation.

“Certainly, from India’s perspective, it is better that we reason and we co-ordinate and we get a solution than we don’t,” he added. “So if that sort of allows other people to engage, I think the world is better off for it.”

He also noted that while the development is encouraging, discussions with Tehran remain ongoing as work continues.

Indian vessels transit through the Strait

Jaishankar pointed to the recent transit of two Indian-flagged liquefied petroleum gas carriers through the Strait on Saturday as an example of progress through diplomatic engagement.

The vessels, Shivalik and Nanda Devi, were carrying around 92,712 metric tonnes of LPG and are headed to India. They are expected to arrive at the ports of Mundra and Kandla.

The minister clarified that India has not reached any “blanket arrangement” with Iran regarding India-flagged vessels.

According to Jaishankar, ship movements are currently being handled on a case-by-case basis as discussions continue.

He said New Delhi’s approach focuses on maintaining dialogue with Tehran and noted that each country’s engagement with Iran depends on its own circumstances.

When asked whether European nations could pursue a similar arrangement, Jaishankar said every country’s engagement with Iran is shaped by its own circumstances. While direct comparisons may be difficult, he said India would be willing to share its approach with European capitals, many of which also maintain channels of communication with Iran.