Highlights

• Iran for India is not just an energy supplier but also a land power on the other side of Pakistan that provides us with an alternative route to Afghanistan.
• American sanctions threat is an insult to Indian sovereignty. More importantly, it is in direct conflict with India’s strategic interests in the region.
• Even during the heyday of the Central Treaty Organisation and the Regional Cooperation for Development, which counted both Iran and Pakistan as members, India was careful not to alienate Iran.
• Recently, India-Iran relations have improved considerably because of growing energy and trade dependency and greater recognition on both sides of the conjunction of strategic interests.
• India should not allow relations with a potential regional ally to be disrupted by empty American threats.

Source: The Hindu