New Delhi, India — Indian PM Narendra Modi on Monday called for peace and stability in the Middle East as tensions escalated following joint airstrikes by the United States and Israel on Iran and Tehran’s subsequent retaliation across the region.
“India stands for peace and stability,” Modi said during a joint press conference in New Delhi with visiting Mark Carney, the prime minister of Canada. He said disputes should be resolved through dialogue and diplomacy and reaffirmed India’s commitment to ensuring the safety of its citizens in the region.
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Carney is on a four-day visit to India, during which both sides pledged to expand economic cooperation and boost bilateral trade to $50 billion.
The appeal for calm comes after the United States and Israel launched joint military strikes on Iran on Saturday, triggering retaliatory drone and missile attacks by Tehran targeting US-linked bases in Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.
Among those reported killed in the strikes was Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who Iranian authorities said died following US-Israeli bombardment of his compound in Tehran.
Modi also held talks on Sunday with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to discuss the “current regional situation,” according to a statement posted on the social media platform X (Twitter). He conveyed India’s concerns over the unfolding developments and stressed that civilian safety must remain a priority, reiterating the need for an early cessation of hostilities.
In response to the crisis, the Indian government convened a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security, the country’s highest security decision-making body, chaired by Modi. The committee expressed serious concern over the safety of the large Indian expatriate community in the region and directed relevant departments to take necessary measures to assist affected nationals.
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