Jaishankar speaks with Iran FM amid widening Mideast crisis

India stepped up diplomatic outreach on Thursday as External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar spoke with Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi amid a widening Middle East conflict that has spilled into Indian Ocean waters after the Iranian warship ‘IRIS Dena’ was sunk off Sri Lanka.

“Had a telecon with Iranian FM Seyed Abbas Araghchi this afternoon,” Jaishankar said in a post on X, confirming that the two sides discussed the rapidly evolving situation in the region.

Had a telecon with Iranian FM Seyed Abbas Araghchi this afternoon. @araghchi

— Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) March 5, 2026

The diplomatic contact comes days after Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei was killed in a joint US-Israeli airstrike on 28 February, an event that sharply escalated tensions across West Asia and raised fears of a broader regional conflict.

Jaishankar had dialed Araghchi earlier on Saturday when the conflict broke out to share India’s “deep concern at the recent developments.”

On Thursday, Jaishankar also spoke with Omani foreign minister Sayyid Badr bin Hamad bin Hamood Albusaidi on the ongoing conflict in West Asia.

Spoke with FM Sayyid Badr bin Hamad bin Hamood Albusaidi of Oman on the ongoing conflict in West Asia. @badralbusaidi

— Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) March 5, 2026

India has adopted a cautious diplomatic posture as the crisis unfolds, urging restraint while seeking to protect its economic and strategic interests in the region.

Earlier this week, New Delhi called for dialogue and diplomacy to end the conflict quickly, warning that further escalation could disrupt trade routes, energy supplies and the safety of millions of Indian nationals living in the region.

The government has also formally conveyed condolences to Iran following Khamenei’s death. Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri visited the Iranian embassy in New Delhi on Thursday and signed the condolence book on behalf of the government of India.

Officials say the crisis carries direct implications for India’s economy and diaspora.

Nearly 10 million Indians live and work across the Gulf, making their safety a major policy concern for New Delhi. The Ministry of External Affairs said the government is closely monitoring developments and remains focused on ensuring their well-being.

Energy security is another major concern.

India imports about 85% of its crude oil, much of it routed through the Gulf region. Oil prices have surged in recent days after tensions in the region disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical energy transit routes.

Natural gas markets have also tightened following attacks on energy infrastructure in the region.

In a statement earlier this week, India’s foreign ministry warned that any major disruption to shipping lanes or energy flows could have “serious consequences for the Indian economy.”

Concerns intensified further this week after the Iranian naval vessel IRIS Dena was struck and sunk in the Indian Ocean near Sri Lanka in an attack attributed to a US submarine.

The ship had recently participated in naval events hosted by India, including the International Fleet Review and the MILAN maritime exercise.

Sri Lankan authorities said rescue teams recovered 87 bodies and rescued 32 sailors after the strike, while several crew members remain missing.

The vessel was returning westward through the Indian Ocean when it was hit, highlighting how the widening conflict is beginning to spill into key maritime corridors used by global energy and commercial shipping.

The incident has heightened concerns about the security of sea lanes across the Indian Ocean, which carry a large share of global trade flows linked to India and other Asian economies.

New Delhi has repeatedly called for restraint from all sides as the situation threatens to spill into a broader regional confrontation.