India is unlikely to be a peace broker in the Middle East conflict despite calls by Iran to play such a role, with analysts saying New Delhi’s non-interventionist policy and limited influence offer little hope for success in a war-torn region where the US remains the dominant player.
Iranian ambassador to India Iraj Elahi said on Saturday that Delhi could participate in the Middle East peace process and convince Israel to halt what he called the genocide in Gaza.
“We believe that India can play a constructive role … India has good relations with Israel so it can convince Israel to stop the genocide in Gaza, to stop escalation in the region,” Ilahi said during an interview with Asian News International, adding that India had a “big responsibility on its shoulder” as an emerging major power.
On October 1, Iran launched almost 200 ballistic missiles towards Israel, its second such attack on Israel this year after it struck with more than 300 missiles and drones in April.
Israel has vowed harsh retaliation, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu saying on Tuesday that Iran “does not understand our determination to defend ourselves and to retaliate against our enemies”.
Daniel Markey, senior South Asia adviser at the United States Institute of Peace (USIP) think tank, said India’s strong ties with Israel and diplomatic links with Iran made it one of the few countries which could facilitate peace talks between the two Middle East rivals.