How India-Iran ties grew under Ebrahim Raisi

Iran is in mourning. Its President Ebrahim Raisi, the foreign minister and several other officials have died in a helicopter crash in a mountainous region near the Azerbaijan border. The wreckage of the chopper carrying them which crashed on Sunday (19 May) was found early on Monday following an overnight search in foggy and treacherous weather conditions.

Several world leaders, including the Indian Prime Minister, have paid tributes to Raisi.

Condoling his death, PM Narendra Modi remembered India’s ties with Iran. He wrote on X, “Deeply saddened and shocked by the tragic demise of Dr Seyed Ebrahim Raisi, President of the Islamic Republic of Iran. His contribution to strengthening India-Iran bilateral relationship will always be remembered. My heartfelt condolences to his family and the people of Iran. India stands with Iran in this time of sorrow.”

Deeply saddened and shocked by the tragic demise of Dr. Seyed Ebrahim Raisi, President of the Islamic Republic of Iran. His contribution to strengthening India-Iran bilateral relationship will always be remembered. My heartfelt condolences to his family and the people of Iran.…

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 20, 2024

India’s ties with Iran have grown in recent years. Let’s take a look at how relations developed during Raisi’s tenure.

India-Iran ties

India and Iran share historical and cultural relations.

After the Cold War ended, India has tried to maintain cordial relations with most countries in West Asia. Iran, which shares borders with Afghanistan and Pakistan, is a key player in the region.

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The two countries signed a friendship treaty in 1950, marking the beginning of diplomatic relations. After the Iranian Revolution in 1979, a “new phase of engagement” began between the two nations, as per the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).

Trade and connectivity have also defined New Delhi’s ties with Tehran. In 2022-23, India’s bilateral trade with Iran reached $2.33 billion. While New Delhi’s trade with Tehran had declined in recent years, it saw a 21.77 per cent uptick in 2022-23, after Raisi came to power in 2021.

India and Iran share common concerns about Taliban’s Sunni extremism and Pakistan’s role in Afghanistan, as per Foreign Policy. For New Delhi, Iran is a “strong regional partner” in Afghanistan.

“For India, Iran is a stabilising force in the Persian Gulf, and the military and security co-operation between the two countries are on the rise,” Jayanth Jacob, a foreign policy commentator, wrote for Deccan Herald.

The US’ sanctions on Iran have affected India’s relations with Tehran. New Delhi is yet to resume crude oil imports from Iran. However, New Delhi has been trying to work with Iran despite threats of US sanctions.

ALSO READ: What does the loss of President Ebrahim Raisi mean for Iran? What challenges does the country face?

Raisi’s special connection to India

Raisi, 63, a hardline cleric shared special ties to India. He hailed from the Iranian province of Khorasan and believed in expanding ties with the East, including India, according to an Economic Times (ET) report. 

People familiar with Iranian politics told ET that Raisi had a “special affinity” for India.

Many Indian families have a historic links to Khorasan. Some people from the Parsi community who arrived in India belonged to Iran’s Greater Khorasan area, the report added.

ALSO READ: Iran’s Ebrahim Raisi dies: What led to the helicopter crash? What will happen next?

India-Iran ties under Raisi

When Ebrahim Raisi, who enjoyed close ties with Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, took oath as Iran’s president in August 2021, India was among the few nation’s to be invited.

External Affairs Minister (EAM) Subrahmanyam Jaishankar had represented India at the swearing-in ceremony in Tehran. In fact, he was the first foreign minister of any country to meet Iran’s then president-elect Raisi in July 2021.

Recently, India signed a 10-year pact to develop and operate Iran’s strategic Chabahar Port. Despite the US’ threat of sanctions, New Delhi has backed the project.

Jaishankar told reporters that India would “communicate the benefits” of the deal to the US and urge countries not to “take a narrow view of it”, reported Al Jazeera.

The port is significant for India as it provides an alternative route to enhance trade ties with landlocked Afghanistan and Central Asian countries, bypassing its regional rival Pakistan.

While talks about the project started in 2003, they hit a roadblock after US sanctioned Iran. The discussions were renewed after the US eased sanctions under the 2015 Iran nuclear deal.

During PM Modi’s visit to Iran in 2016, the two countries, along with Afghanistan, signed an agreement to develop the port to avoid routes in Pakistan.

Iran also has ties with Pakistan, even though their relations have been rocky. Last month, during Raisi’s visit to Islamabad, Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif tried to rake up the issue of Kashmir, thanking the Iranian president for “support”.

However, while addressing a joint press conference with Sharif, Raisi refrained from mentioning Kashmir.

When tensions between Iran and Israel escalated in April, New Dlhi called for deescalation and EAM Jaishankar spoke to both his counterparts.

Under Raisi, Iran announced a 15-day visa-free policy for Indian tourists in February.

His death has come at a time when West Asia is grapping with increased tensions amid Israel’s war in Gaza. India would be closely watching the developments in Iran as Raisi’s successor takes over.

With inputs from agencies