Tehran and New Delhi are closer than ever after India’s decisive ‘no’ to a UN resolution targeting Iran’s protest handling. Western powers, including the EU heavyweights and Japan, pushed the measure, but India stood firm with the Global South, earning effusive thanks from Iranian envoy Mohammad Fathali.
The Saturday statement came amid fallout from Iran’s December protests. Fathali hailed India’s ‘theoretical and steadfast support’ on X, praising its defense of sovereignty against ‘political motivations.’ The vote tally: 25 yes, 7 no—including India—and 14 abstentions.
This isn’t just diplomacy; it’s a statement. India rejected meddling in domestic matters, a cornerstone of its non-alignment legacy. Proponents like Britain, Italy, and South Korea aimed to spotlight alleged atrocities, but New Delhi saw hypocrisy in Western lectures.
India’s position spotlights two realities. First, it won’t kowtow to transatlantic pressure groups. Second, unusual bedfellows emerged: India, China, Pakistan united against the resolution. In a US tariff-threatened world, India’s defiance underscores strategic autonomy.
Fathali’s gratitude tweet went viral, symbolizing warming Indo-Iran ties. Energy security, Chabahar port, and countering Pakistan play into this. Critics may cry inconsistency on rights, but India prioritizes realpolitik.
As Global South voices rise, India’s UN play repositions it as a bridge-builder, not a Western satellite. The message to Washington and Brussels is unmistakable: India’s path is its own.
