In a significant development amid the raging Middle East crisis, India’s Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar met Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Saeed Khatibzadeh during the ongoing Raisina Dialogue in New Delhi on Friday. The discussions focused on the volatile situation in West Asia, which erupted following coordinated US-Israel attacks on Iranian targets starting February 28.
The operation aimed to cripple Tehran’s missile arsenal, military facilities, and nuclear ambitions. Prominent casualties included top echelons of Iran’s leadership, notably Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Iran responded aggressively with widespread drone and missile barrages hitting American installations, key regional cities, and partner militaries.
Now in its 11th year, the Raisina Dialogue—India’s flagship forum on geopolitics and geo-economics—opened on March 5 with Prime Minister Narendra Modi presiding over the launch. Finland’s President Alexander Stubb graced the occasion as chief guest, addressing the opening session.
Hosted by ORF alongside the External Affairs Ministry, the event through March 7 features an array of international dignitaries, ministers, scholars, business leaders, and experts tackling global issues from security to sustainability.
Jaishankar’s diplomatic outreach extended to conversations with European and African counterparts: Benjamin Haddad from France, Niels Annen of Germany, and Tanzania’s Ngwaru Jumane Maghembe. He further connected with influential thinkers like GLOBESEC’s Robert Vass and ECFR’s Mark Leonard.
These engagements reflect India’s strategic positioning in a fractured world order. With energy routes and trade corridors at stake in the Middle East flare-up, New Delhi’s measured approach seeks to safeguard its interests while promoting dialogue over confrontation. The Raisina platform amplifies this voice, cementing India’s stature as a bridge-builder in international relations.