Modi-Pezeshkian moment highlights India’s balancing act

A warm moment between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian at the BRICS Business Forum in New Delhi has drawn attention to India’s balancing diplomacy amid growing global divisions.

Modi was seen walking hand in hand with Pezeshkian into the venue on Friday, with Russian President Vladimir Putin and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa nearby. The image came as conflicts in Ukraine and West Asia, along with US-China trade tensions, continue to deepen geopolitical fault lines.

India has maintained close ties with Iran and Russia while strengthening its strategic partnership with the United States and other Western countries. The approach allows New Delhi to keep channels open with competing power blocs while pursuing its own strategic and economic interests.

Pezeshkian’s visit was his first to India since becoming Iran’s president. After the business forum, he held bilateral talks with Modi, marking their second meeting in less than two weeks. The leaders discussed bilateral ties and the situation in West Asia.

India has consistently called for dialogue and diplomacy to resolve conflicts in the Middle East and has also stressed the need to ensure safe passage for energy shipments through conflict-affected waters.

Following the meeting, Modi said the visit was significant and stressed the need for India and Iran to pursue a long-term strategy that benefits both countries. He also reaffirmed India’s commitment to efforts aimed at achieving lasting peace in West Asia.

The Modi-Pezeshkian encounter thus offered a visible snapshot of New Delhi’s pragmatic diplomacy—maintaining relationships across rival camps while keeping its strategic interests at the centre of its foreign policy.