Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the night of 12 March 2026 held his first direct telephone conversation with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian since the outbreak of the West Asia war a conflict that began on 28 February when the United States and Israel launched a major military assault on Iran, killing Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Modi expressed deep concern over the escalation of tensions, the loss of civilian lives, and damage to civilian infrastructure, stressing that the safety and security of Indian nationals, along with the need for unhindered transit of goods and energy, remain India’s top priorities.
The call comes as nearly one crore Indians remain in a region descending into wider conflict, global oil markets reel, and New Delhi struggles to protect its citizens, energy lines, and diplomatic credibility all at once. Iran, for its part, has been reaching out to countries it regards as neutral parties, hoping to break its international isolation amidst an intensifying military campaign.
‘Dialogue and Diplomacy’
The war has so far killed at least 1,230 people in Iran, 397 in Lebanon, and 11 in Israel, according to officials, with the conflict having spread beyond Iran’s borders to affect several Gulf States. For India, the stakes are deeply personal. There are almost one crore Indian citizens who live and work in the Gulf nations, including tens of thousands in Iran and Israel, making this one of the largest diaspora populations caught in an active war zone anywhere in the world.
In his post on X following the call, Modi wrote that he had urged President Pezeshkian towards “dialogue and diplomacy to end the crisis,” while reiterating India’s commitment to peace and stability. The Gulf region is a major trading partner for India, accounting for nearly $200 billion annually and any prolonged disruption to maritime routes particularly the Strait of Hormuz could send shockwaves through India’s economy and send petrol prices soaring for ordinary Indians.
India also permitted an Iranian naval vessel, IRIS LAVAN, to dock at Kochi on 4 March on humanitarian grounds a decision Jaishankar defended in Parliament, noting that the Iranian Foreign Minister had expressed Tehran’s gratitude for the gesture.
India’s Weeks-Long Diplomatic Scramble in a Burning Region
The Modi-Pezeshkian call is not an isolated act but the culmination of a sustained, high-stakes diplomatic campaign. The Cabinet Committee on Security, chaired by Prime Minister Modi, met on 1 March and reviewed the situation, including its implications for regional security, economic activity and the safety of the Indian community in the Gulf.
Four days later, on 9 March, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar made a suo motu statement in both Houses of Parliament, where he declared that “India is in favour of peace and urges a return to dialogue and diplomacy,” and advocated de-escalation, restraint, and the safety of civilians. He revealed that India had already evacuated 67,000 Indian nationals from the region.
Jaishankar also confirmed he had spoken with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on 20 February and again on 5 March, with the safe passage of tankers through the Strait of Hormuz a key focus, their conversations were among the few high-level diplomatic contacts Tehran has had with a major democracy since the war began.
The Opposition, led by the Congress party, staged walkouts in both Houses, demanding a full parliamentary debate rather than a ministerial statement, accusing the government of offering “no solutions on how India will diversify its energy security needs or reassert its energy sovereignty.” Meanwhile, Modi has also spoken with leaders from Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Jordan, Israel, Qatar, and France consistently pressing every interlocutor for de-escalation, making India one of the most diplomatically active non-belligerent nations in this crisis.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
Prime Minister Modi’s call to President Pezeshkian is a welcome and necessary step, but it must be a beginning, not a conclusion. When nearly one crore Indians live under the shadow of bombs they did not choose and when the death toll in Iran, Lebanon and Israel climbs past 1,600, the moment demands more than carefully worded posts on social media.
India has a rare and precious asset in this crisis: it is one of the very few large democracies that has maintained communication with all sides. That trust is not merely a diplomatic convenience it is a moral responsibility. New Delhi must use its unique position to push for a ceasefire, not just call for dialogue in the abstract.
Ordinary people in Tehran, in Gaza’s shadow, in Beirut’s rubble and the Indian families in Kerala and Hyderabad anxiously waiting for WhatsApp messages from their loved ones across the Gulf, deserve more than platitudes. India’s founding commitment to non-alignment was never about standing on the sidelines; it was about standing up for peace when others would not.
Had a conversation with Iranian President, Dr. Masoud Pezeshkian, to discuss the serious situation in the region.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 12, 2026
Expressed deep concern over the escalation of tensions and the loss of civilian lives as well as damage to civilian infrastructure.
The safety and security of…
