India’s Modi calls for peace in Middle East amid US, Israel, Iran airstrikes

By Ahmad Adil

NEW DELHI (AA) - Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday called for peace and stability in the Middle East as regional tensions escalated following US and Israeli airstrikes on Iran and Tehran’s subsequent retaliation.

“India stands for peace and stability,” Modi said during a joint news conference with visiting Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney in New Delhi. He stressed that New Delhi supports resolving disputes “through dialogue and diplomacy” and reaffirmed India’s commitment to ensuring the safety of its citizens in the region.

Carney is on a four-day visit to India, during which both sides pledged to strengthen bilateral trade ties, targeting $50 billion in trade.

The appeal for calm comes after the United States and Israel launched joint military strikes on Iran on Saturday, prompting retaliatory drone and missile attacks by Tehran against US-linked bases in Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates.

Among those killed in the strikes was Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who died after US-Israeli bombardment of his compound in Tehran, according to Iranian authorities.

Modi also held talks Sunday with his Israeli counterpart to discuss the “current regional situation,” according to a statement posted on the US social media platform X. He conveyed India’s concerns over the unfolding developments and emphasized 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 the prime minister. 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.

It underscored the urgency of ending hostilities and returning to diplomatic engagement.

On Sunday, Modi also condemned attacks on the United Arab Emirates and offered condolences for the lives lost in Iranian retaliatory strikes.