Prime Minister Narendra Modi was walking the red carpet at the BRICS Business Forum, and right there he was holding Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian’s hand. Russian President Vladimir Putin and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa were walking with them too. The picture went everywhere. It looked ordinary, almost friendly. But with everything going on in West Asia, it hit differently.
Pezeshkian had just landed for the BRICS summit. This was his first trip to India as president. The last Iranian president who came here was years back. The two leaders had already met once, not even two weeks earlier, during the SCO summit in Bishkek. Now they were sitting down again in Delhi. You could feel they were picking up from where they left off.
After that walk they had their talks. Modi was clear – India wants lasting peace in the region. He kept stressing freedom of navigation and the safety of seafarers and commercial ships. The Strait of Hormuz is not some far-off issue for us. A large part of India’s energy still comes through that stretch of water. Any long disruption hits us hard. Modi repeated what India has been saying for months: civilians and civilian infrastructure must not be touched, and talking is still the only real way out.
Pezeshkian said he wants the strategic understandings with India to continue. Chabahar Port came up, as it always does. That project still matters for both sides. It gives India a route towards Afghanistan and Central Asia without depending on Pakistan. They also spoke about expanding trade and finding longer-term, practical ways to work together. Later Modi posted that the two countries should move ahead with a long-term, win-win approach. Pezeshkian said openly that India and Iran can revive relations together.
What made the hand-holding moment stand out is the bigger picture. Iran is stuck in a tough conflict involving the United States and Israel. Energy prices have been jumping around. Shipping lanes have faced repeated threats. Russia is still under heavy Western sanctions. And yet here was the Indian Prime Minister walking hand-in-hand with the Iranian president, with Putin next to them, at a forum India itself was hosting. It wasn’t just for the cameras. It showed the way New Delhi has been handling things for a while now.
India has not cut ties with Iran even while keeping strong partnerships with the United States, Israel and several Gulf countries. Millions of Indians work in the region. Energy security is a daily concern. Strategic autonomy isn’t just a phrase here – it’s the practical way of working. You talk to whoever you need to talk to. You keep the lines open. You don’t let yourself get pushed into any one camp.
The BRICS summit added another layer. India is hosting the expanded group this year. The members don’t always agree with each other. Turning economic size into real trade, investment and connectivity is the goal on paper. Pezeshkian used the Business Forum to say BRICS needs to go beyond numbers and actually build networks. Modi spoke about turning strength into stronger business links and keeping sea routes safe.
None of this means India is taking sides in the West Asia conflict. The official position has stayed the same: settle issues through dialogue and diplomacy, protect civilians, keep commerce moving. That message was given in Bishkek and again in Delhi. The picture of the two leaders walking together just made the continuity visible.
There’s history too. India and Iran share old civilisational ties. Trade, culture and people-to-people links have always been there even when politics got messy. The Chabahar agreement, earlier energy understandings, and regular high-level contacts show both sides still see value in keeping the relationship working. Pezeshkian’s presence in Delhi and the warmth shown to him signalled that India is not interested in shutting anyone out who is ready to talk.
Of course the problems haven’t gone away. The situation around the Strait of Hormuz is still fragile. Sanctions pressure is still there. Global energy markets remain jumpy. But the fact that the two leaders could meet twice in such a short time, talk about the hard issues, and still show steady engagement says something about how mature the relationship is.
In the end, that photo of Modi holding Pezeshkian’s hand while walking with other BRICS leaders captured a simple idea: India is comfortable talking to everyone who matters for its interests. It doesn’t have to pick camps. It can host a big multilateral summit, welcome the Iranian president, sit across the table with him, and keep its other partnerships intact at the same time. That’s not easy diplomacy. It’s careful, steady work.
The next few days of the BRICS summit will show how far the practical results go. For now, the image from the Business Forum remains the clearest statement of the approach. Hand in hand, looking at the longer game.
Sources:
India Today, Times Now, The Indian Express, The Economic Times, Moneycontrol, The Hindu, News18, The Wire, Ministry of External Affairs statements, and official posts by the Prime Minister’s Office.
@Rohit Manral
