May 17, 2026
By P. K. Balachandran
The signs emanated from the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh and India-Iran interactions at the BRICS Foreign Ministers’ meeting in New Delhi.
Given the changing international landscape, India is seeing new openings vis-à-vis China, Pakistan and Iran, with which its relations have been strained.
Despite the lack of progress in talks with China on the border issue, and China’s open support for Pakistan during the May 2025 India-Pakistan air war, New Delhi has selectively opened up its industrial sector for Chinese investment for the sake of rapid industrial growth.
As a way out of the India-China border conflict, former Indian army chief Gen. M.M.Naravane suggested that India and China could discuss the 1959 Chinese suggestion that India give Aksai Chin in the Western sector to China in exchange for China’s dropping its claim over Arunachal Pradesh in the Eastern Sector.
The Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS), which is the institutional ideologue for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), has said that while India should strongly respond to Pakistan’s act of backing cross-border terror attacks, India should keep its doors open for talks with Islamabad.
“If Pakistan is like a pinprick trying to create incidents like Pulwama, etc., we have to answer appropriately according to the situation because the security and self-respect of a country and nation have to be protected, and the government of the day should take note of it and take care of it. But at the same time, we should not close the doors. We should always be ready to engage in dialogue. That is why diplomatic relations are maintained, trade and commerce continue, and visas are being given. So, we should not stop these, because there should always be a window for dialogue,” Dattatreya Hosabale told the Indian-State backed news agency Press Trust of India.
To a question whether sporting events between India and Pakistan should resume, Hosabale said, “Of course, they can continue because I believe strongly that ultimately civil society relations will work. Because we have a cultural relation and we have been one nation.”.
Former army chief, Gen. Naravane, who had earlier suggested a diplomatic solution to the India-China conflict based on give and take, endorsed Hosabale’s idea in another media interview, showing a change of attitude towards Pakistan that had been routinely and publicly described as an “enemy nation.”
Currently, all contacts, including in culture and sports. Stand suspended.
Positive Response from Pakistan
Reacting to the RSS official’s statement, Pakistan said that the call for an India-Pakistan dialogue was a “positive development” and signalled support for backchannel talks.
The Pakistan Foreign Office spokesman Tahir Andrabi said: “Voices within India calling for dialogue are obviously a positive development”. Signalling support for backchannel talks, Andrabi said he would not comment on the subject as that would defeat the purpose of having backchannels.
Rapprochement With Iran
Simultaneously, India is also trying to patch up with Iran but without alienating the US and Israel, which have critical economic and security ties with New Delhi.
Throughout the US-Iran war, India had remained neutral so as not to jeopardise its relations with the US and Israel. But anxious to get Iran’s permission for its oil-bearing vessels to use the blocked Strait of Hormuz, India used the BRICS Foreign Ministers’ conference in New Delhi on May 14 and 15 to talk to Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi to iron out the differences.
Araghchi’s meetings with the Indian Foreign Minister S.Jaishankar were cordial and fruitful, according to both sides. While Jaishankar said that he had detailed discussions with Araghchi, the latter referred to Jaishankar as his friend and urged India to restart the stalled Chahbahar port project. Araghchi also met Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
In a sign of improved relations, Indian vessels are now passing through the Strait of Hormuz, though, earlier, two of them had been subjected to attacks by unidentified parties.
Iran Unhappy with Pakistani Mediation
In a move indicating Iran’s disillusionment with Pakistan, which is mediating between Tehran and Washington, Iran’s National Security and Foreign Policy Spokesperson, Ebrahim Rezai, accused Islamabad of acting in the interests of the United States.
“Pakistan is our good friend and neighbour, but it is not suitable as a mediator for negotiations and does not have the necessary authority to fulfil this role. They always take into account the interests of US President Donald Trump and do not say anything that would go against the wishes of the Americans,” Rezai posted in Persian on his social media handle.
Meanwhile, Pakistan had announced the complete lifting of restrictions in its capital, Islamabad, which means that at the moment, negotiations between Iran and the United States stand suspended.
India Keeps Up Ties With UAE
However, despite its attempt to patch things up with Iran, India is strengthening its ties with the UAE, with which Iran is at odds because the UAE is close to the US and Israel.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi flew to Abu Dhabi on May 15 as part of a five-nation tour. In his meeting with the UAE Emir, Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, a wide range of issues, including trade, investment, defence cooperation, energy security and the welfare of the Indian diaspora living in the Gulf nation were discussed.
The visit also focused on strengthening the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between India and the UAE, which has emerged as one of India’s most important strategic relationships in the Gulf region.
During the visit, India and the UAE concluded two important memorandums of understanding about Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) and Strategic Petroleum Reserves, aimed at strengthening India’s long-term energy security amid global volatility in oil markets.
The two countries also agreed on a framework for strategic defence cooperation. In another significant development, the two sides signed an MoU for setting up a ship repair cluster at Vadinar in Gujarat’s Dwarka district.
The visit additionally saw investment announcements worth nearly USD 5 billion in Indian infrastructure projects as well as investments in the RBL Bank and Samman Capital.
The UAE is India’s third-largest trading partner and the seventh-largest source of cumulative foreign investment into India over the last 25 years. With long-term supply agreements already in place, the Gulf nation continues to remain one of India’s most dependable energy partners despite the ongoing turmoil in West Asia.
The point to note is that despite its moves to make up with Iran, Modi condemned Iran’s attacks on UAE, though he did not name Iran as the attacker.
“We strongly condemn the attacks launched on the UAE. The manner in which the UAE has been targeted is not acceptable in any form. We welcome the steps taken by you to uphold national unity, security and regional integrity,” the Prime Minister said during his meeting with Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
PM Modi also thanked the UAE leadership for ensuring the safety and welfare of the 4.5 million-strong Indian community living in the country during the attacks and tensions.
“For the care provided to the Indian diaspora residing in the UAE in these difficult times, the manner in which they were considered as members of one’s own family by the UAE Government, you and the Royal Family, I express my heartfelt gratitude,” he said.
The Prime Minister reiterated India’s position that dialogue and diplomacy remain the only sustainable path for resolving regional conflicts.
“The impact of war in the West Asia region is seen across the world today. India has always given importance to dialogue and diplomacy for resolving issues. It is our biggest concern that Hormuz remains free and open. In this regard, it is essential to abide by international laws,” Modi said.
“India stands shoulder-to-shoulder with the UAE in every situation, and it will continue to do so. For the restoration of peace and stability, India will extend all possible cooperation,” the Prime Minister added.
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