By Uzma Ehtasham
The recent seizure of three oil tankers in the Arabian Sea by the Indian Coast Guard is more than a routine enforcement operation; it is a striking illustration of India’s growing disregard for the very countries that have historically supported its interests. Iranian media and independent analysts have traced the vessels—AL JAFZIA, ASPHALT STAR, and STELLAR RUBY—to Iran, noting that at least one was operating under the Iranian flag. The timing and context are impossible to ignore. Only weeks ago, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government abandoned the Chabahar port agreement, a cornerstone of India-Iran trade and regional connectivity, citing a 25 percent US tariff on countries dealing with Tehran.
This pattern of behavior is not merely transactional; it is a betrayal. Iran has long been a steadfast supporter of India on critical international platforms, including the United Nations, where it has consistently backed India on the Kashmir issue despite its historical alignment with Pakistan in other areas. Now, under an RSS-led Hindutva government, India has turned its back, choosing to sideline Tehran in favor of US pressures and short-term strategic gains. The seizure of Iranian-linked tankers, framed as a contribution to “maritime security” and the “rules-based international order,” reads less like enforcement and more like a symbolic punishment, signaling to Tehran that loyalty and past support are expendable.
For decades, India has projected itself as a rising power with a principled foreign policy, claiming to champion non-alignment and regional cooperation. Actions such as this reveal a far more transactional reality, where diplomacy is subordinated to sanctions compliance and domestic political narratives. Iran’s patience, generosity and history of supporting Indian positions on contentious issues should have earned New Delhi restraint and respect. Instead, the Hindutva government has embraced coercion and brinkmanship, undermining regional stability while further alienating a country that remains a strategic partner in trade, energy, and connectivity.
The consequences of such maneuvers are serious. Abandoning Iran not only disrupts critical economic and energy partnerships but also deepens mistrust in a region already fraught with complex alliances. It diminishes India’s credibility as a partner willing to honor agreements and respect sovereign interests. Moreover, it signals to Pakistan, the Gulf, and other neighbors that India’s foreign policy is increasingly transactional, conditional on the whims of the United States rather than the enduring principles of diplomacy.
New Delhi’s actions should be seen in the larger context of its regional ambitions. By sidelining Iran, India risks pushing Tehran closer to other regional powers, including China and Russia, who may offer the stability, economic partnerships, and political respect that India has chosen to forgo. In the geopolitical chessboard of West and South Asia, every act of betrayal is noticed, recorded, and responded to. India’s move against Iranian tankers, following the abandonment of the Chabahar port, is likely to reverberate far beyond the Arabian Sea.
It is time for India to recognize that diplomacy is not a ledger of debts owed or favors cashed in at will. Relationships built over decades, especially with a nation like Iran that has historically stood by India in international fora, cannot be discarded without consequences. If New Delhi hopes to project itself as a responsible regional actor, it must reconcile its Hindutva-driven short-termism with the strategic realities of the neighborhood. Punitive actions against partners who have consistently supported Indian positions are not merely cynical—they are self-defeating.
The seizure of the Iranian-linked tankers is a stark reminder that international relations demand consistency, respect, and foresight. By prioritizing sanctions compliance and US alignment over historical partnerships, India has chosen expediency over principle, ideology over strategy, and political optics over long-term trust. Tehran, which has quietly facilitated India’s energy needs and supported its diplomatic positions, now faces an unnecessary affront, leaving India’s credibility and honor in tatters.
History will judge India not for the operational success of its Coast Guard but for the betrayal of a nation that had extended support when it mattered most. True regional leadership is measured not in coercive actions or sanctions compliance but in the ability to maintain alliances, honour agreements, and recognize the value of enduring partnerships. On these counts, Modi’s Hindutva government has failed Iran—and, by extension, undermined its own standing on the world stage.
(The writer is a public health professional, journalist, and possesses expertise in health communication, having keen interest in national and international affairs, can be reached at uzma@metro-morning.com)
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