India Calls For Rapid De-Escalation Amid Israel-Iran Conflict, Prioritises Gulf Stability | Exclusive

Last Updated:February 28, 2026, 17:57 IST

India’s priorities are clear: maintaining stability in the Gulf region to safeguard the Indian diaspora, protect vital trade routes, and ensure maritime security in the Arabian Sea

As the Israel-Iran war intensifies, India has stressed the need for rapid de-escalation to prevent a prolonged regional conflict. Sources in New Delhi told CNN-News18 that the situation is extremely fluid, with multiple waves of strikes and uncertainty over leadership decisions, raising the risk of wider escalation.

“India’s core interest lies in rapid de-escalation," the source told CNN-News18, emphasising that the country is encouraging back-channel engagement with Washington, Tel Aviv, and Tehran to reduce tensions.

India’s priorities are clear: maintaining stability in the Gulf region to safeguard the Indian diaspora, protect vital trade routes, and ensure maritime security in the Arabian Sea. Sources highlighted that these concerns underpin India’s approach to the crisis.

At the same time, India is determined to maintain strategic autonomy, balancing relations with all parties involved. “We want to continue our engagement with all sides while safeguarding India’s interests," said a senior official.

THE ISRAEL-IRAN WAR

The United States and Israel launched strikes against Iran on Saturday, with Israel’s public broadcaster reporting that supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had been targeted, as the Islamic republic retaliated with barrages of missiles at Gulf states and Israel.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, the ideological arm of the Islamic republic, said they had targeted the US Fifth Fleet in Bahrain, other American interests in the Gulf and Israel.

Iran’s regionwide missile salvo could be heard in Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar and the UAE, as well as Israel and Iraq, in the hours following the first strikes, after it had repeatedly vowed to retaliate fiercely should it be attacked.

The attacks came after US President Donald Trump expressed frustration at Iran’s stance in negotiations over its nuclear and missile programmes.

Trump said Washington’s goal was “eliminating imminent threats" from Iran, and Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the operation was to remove an “existential threat".

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