New Delhi, January 16 (ANI): India on Friday outlined a multi-pronged diplomatic posture as it navigates escalating regional instability, reaffirming engagement with the United States over Iran-related sanctions, asserting its sovereignty over the Shaksgam Valley amid Chinese activity, issuing advisories for Indian nationals in Iran, and reiterating support for inclusive elections in Myanmar.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said India is actively engaging with the United States to ensure continuity of its strategic projects at Iran’s Chabahar Port under a time-bound conditional sanctions waiver issued by Washington, which remains valid until April 26, 2026.
Addressing a weekly media briefing, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the US Department of Treasury had issued formal guidance on October 28, 2025, allowing limited activity at the port. “We remain engaged with the US side in working out this arrangement,” he said, even as New Delhi monitors the implications of a 25 per cent additional tariff announced by US President Donald Trump on countries conducting business with Iran.
India maintains that Chabahar remains critical to its regional connectivity strategy, providing an alternative trade route to Afghanistan and Central Asia under the International North-South Transport Corridor, bypassing Pakistan. The port has been used in recent years for humanitarian and commercial shipments, including wheat aid to Afghanistan.
India-Iran bilateral trade currently stands at USD 1.6 billion, with exports accounting for USD 1.2 billion, the MEA noted.
Meanwhile, amid rising unrest in Iran, India has advised its citizens to leave the country by whatever means available, citing a volatile security situation. Approximately 9,000 Indian nationals, most of them students, are currently residing in Iran.
“We are keeping a close watch on the situation there, and as far as our citizens are concerned, we are committed to doing whatever is necessary for their well-being,” Jaiswal said, confirming that multiple advisories have been issued urging Indians to avoid travel to Iran and to refrain from participating in protests.
The advisories come against the backdrop of widespread anti-government demonstrations across Iran, warnings of possible US military action, and renewed scrutiny of countries maintaining economic ties with Tehran.
On regional security issues, the MEA reiterated India’s long-standing position on the Shaksgam Valley, firmly rejecting China’s infrastructure activity in the region as “illegal and invalid.” Jaiswal recalled that India has never recognised the 1963 China-Pakistan boundary agreement under which Pakistan ceded the territory to China.
“Shaksgam Valley is an Indian territory. We have consistently protested attempts to alter the ground reality,” he said, adding that India reserves the right to take necessary measures to safeguard its interests.
The strategically sensitive region lies close to the Siachen Glacier and the Karakoram Pass, with developments there having direct implications for India’s security along both the Line of Control (LoC) and the Line of Actual Control (LAC). China, however, has rejected India’s objections, claiming the area as its own and terming its construction activities legitimate.
In Southeast Asia, India reaffirmed its support for an inclusive, fair and participatory electoral process in Myanmar, where general elections are being held in phases under the military junta that seized power in 2021.
“We want inclusive, fair elections in which all stakeholders participate,” Jaiswal said, reiterating India’s support for a Myanmar-led and Myanmar-owned peace process. India has consistently advocated democratic transition, peace, and stability in the neighbouring country as part of its Neighbourhood First, Act East, and Indo-Pacific policies.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during a recent interaction with Myanmar’s military leadership on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit, conveyed India’s readiness to support Myanmar’s developmental needs while emphasising the importance of inclusive elections.
Together, the developments underscore India’s calibrated diplomatic approach as it balances strategic interests, regional security concerns, humanitarian responsibilities, and its commitment to democratic principles amid a rapidly evolving geopolitical landscape.
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