Will India’s foreign policy get a reboot after Donald Trump becomes US President? As India’s old friend Tehran moves toward the US to improve bilateral ties and Russia is staring at the conclusion of its war with Ukraine in a way that may favour it, India, too, may find it easier to bolster its ties with Washington.

Is Iran Coming Closer To US?

After Trump’s close ally Elon Musk met Iran’s Ambassador to the United Nations, Amir Saeid Iravani, at his residence in New York and discussed how to ease tensions between the two nations, it became clear that the geopolitical dynamics may shift to a new reality.

If media reports are to be believed, Musk requested the meeting with the ambassador. Iranian officials hailed the incident as “positive” and “good news.”

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Though both of sides tried to water down the meeting and avoided any comment, it is clear that the meeting was important and may launch a new beginning.

Denying to comment on the meeting, Trump spokesperson Steven Cheung said, “We do not comment on reports of private meetings that did or did not occur.” Similarly, the Iranian mission to the UN and the White House declined to comment.

Why Is Elon Musk’s Meeting Significant?

The meeting is significant because Donald Trump pulled out of the Iran-US nuclear deal during the first term of his presidency and imposed harsh economic sanctions on the Islamic nation. The sanctions crippled the Iranian economy and it is yet to come out of the impacts.

Why Did US Frown Upon Chabahar Port?

The economic sanctions also hit the India-Iran relations as New Delhi was forced to reduce its imports from the Shiite nation. After India signed a 10-year agreement to develop and operate Chabahar Port in the Islamic country, Washington frowned upon it.

Also Read: US-India Relations at Crossroads: How Donald Trump Victory Could Impact Trade, Defence, Immigration

Reacting to the deal, US State Department spokesman Vedant Patel said, “Any entity, anyone considering business deals with Iran, they need to be aware of the potential risk that they are opening themselves up to and the potential risk of sanctions.” 

India-Iran Ties Under Pressure

Though the port project has not been hindered by US sanctions on Tehran, India reduced its imports from the country. Indo-Iran relations further deteriorated after Tehran raised the issue of the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019 and sided with anti-India forces at the meeting of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation on the National Register of Citizens (NRC) and Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).

Iranian Shocker To India

The bilateral ties hit rock bottom when Supreme Iranian leader Ayatollah Ali Hosseini Khamenei listed India along with Gaza and Myanmar as the places where Muslims are suffering. New Delhi reacted angrily, “strongly deplored” the comment and called them “misinformed” and “unacceptable”.

Will US Lift Iran Economic Sanctions?

Political analysts believe if Donald Trump allows to hold bilateral talks with Iran, lifts the economic sanctions imposed upon Iran and Tehran stops criticising the US, India may find it easier to improve its ties with the Islamic country.

Will Donald Trump End Russia- Ukraine War

After claiming during his election campaign that he could bring the Russia- Ukraine War to an end in on day, Donald Trump has indicated that he might stop funding Ukraine in the war. Though his spokesperson tried to water down the comment, Donald Trump’s close aide Brian Lanza claimed, “And if President Zelensky comes to the table and says, well we can only have peace if we have Crimea, he shows to us that he’s not serious. Crimea is gone.”

Trump: Russia – Ukraine’s Got To Stop

A few days later, the President-elect said at America First Policy Institute, “Russia and Ukraine’s got to stop. I saw a report today. Thousands of people over the last three days were killed. Thousands and thousands of people were killed. They happened to be soldiers, but whether they’re soldiers or they’re people sitting in towns, we’re going to work it.”

Earlier the US warned India several times to slash its trade relations with Moscow because Russia was under the US economic sanctions. It was very angry after India bought Air Defence System S-400 from Russia.

US Imposes Sanctions On Indian Firms

The US imposed sanctions upon 19 Indian companies and two individuals recently accusing them of helping Russia in its war against Ukraine. These companies sold equipment of dual use.

If Ukraine agrees to sign a ceasefire and stop war, even under compulsion, without Russia vacating the four regions of Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson, it will be seen as a major victory for Moscow. Analysts believe it may bring the US and Russia closer, though temporarily.

If the US makes a tango with Russia, it will have no moral authority to ask India to keep itself away from Moscow. India will find it easier to forge a better and much closer relationship with Russia.