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    Op-Ed                                                                  MARCH 27, 2026      |  The Indian Eye                    8

                                                            INDIAN INTEREST

                                   Not an Era of War,

                   Nor an Era of Diplomacy

                                                                                                                  guaranteed in the current climate of
                                                                                                                  mistrust. Moreover, without a broad-
                                                                                                                  er international push for dialogue,
                                                                                                                  any unilateral effort may have limit-
                                                                                                                  ed impact.
                                                                                                                      The larger issue, then, is not sim-
                                                                                                                  ply the absence of a mediator but the
                                                                                                                  absence of a diplomatic framework
                                                                                                                  itself. There is no clear process, no
                                                                                                                  convening platform, no sustained ini-
                                                                                                                  tiative aimed at  de-escalation.  This
                                                                                                                  vacuum is perhaps the defining fea-
                                                                                                                  ture of the current crisis.
                    SHOBHAN SAXENA                                                                                    If the conflict continues to spread,
                                                                                                                  the consequences could be profound.
                  here was a time when the                                                                        Beyond  immediate  humanitarian
                  phrase “not an era of war” —                                                                    costs, there is the risk of a long-term
            Tinvoked memorably by Prime                                                                           fragmentation of the global order.
            Minister  Narendra  Modi  —  carried                                                                  Trade routes could be disrupted, al-
            within it a moral aspiration: that   If the conflict continues to spread, the consequences could be profound. Beyond immediate   liances reshaped, and multilateral
            global conflicts, however deep, would   humanitarian costs, there is the risk of a long-term fragmentation of the global order (Agency)   institutions further weakened. The
            ultimately yield to dialogue. But the                                                                 normalization of conflict — without
            ongoing confrontation involving Iran,                                                                 even  the  pretense  of  negotiation  —
            Israel, and the United States suggests   al  advocates  of  diplomacy  appear   it maintains longstanding relations   may set a dangerous precedent.
            that we are not merely witnessing a   constrained  —  either  by  strategic   with Iran, not least due to geograph-  In such a scenario, the world
            breakdown of peace, but something   alignments or by the sheer pace of   ic and economic considerations.  risks drifting into a paradoxical state:
            perhaps  more  troubling  —  the  ab-  unfolding events.                More immediately, India faces   one where war is frequent but not
            sence of diplomatic imagination.      The war, consequently, is spread-  two pressing concerns: energy secu-  formally declared, and diplomacy
                This  is  not  quite  a  full-scale   ing not only geographically but also   rity and the welfare of its diaspora.  is invoked but rarely practiced. It is
            world war, yet it is no longer a con-  politically. Proxy theaters risk acti-  The Gulf region, already tense, hosts   neither an era of peace nor one of
            tained regional conflict either. What   vation, maritime routes face disrup-  millions of Indian nationals whose   structured conflict resolution.
            distinguishes this moment is not just   tions, and energy markets remain   safety becomes increasingly precari-  To  reverse  this  trajectory,  a  re-
            the  escalation  of  violence,  but  the   volatile. Each failed opportunity for   ous  as  conflict  spreads.  Any  disrup-  newed commitment to diplomacy is
            striking absence of credible diplo-  dialogue widens the arc of instability.  tion in oil supplies or shipping lanes   essential  —  not  as  rhetoric,  but  as
            matic effort. The machinery of di-    At the same time, the United   could also have direct economic re-  practice.  This  would  require  major
            alogue  appears  stalled,  if  not  aban-  States  finds  itself  relatively  isolated   percussions for India, which remains   powers to invest political capital in
            doned altogether.                 in its approach. While it remains the   heavily dependent on energy imports.  dialogue, regional actors to priori-
                From the outset, diplomacy was   central military and strategic actor,   India’s  official  statements  have   tize de-escalation over assertion, and
            sidelined. Even as tensions escalated   many countries have shown reluc-  been cautious, emphasizing restraint   institutions to reclaim their role as
            in West Asia, there were few sus-  tance to fully align with its posture.  and dialogue. In a recent communi-  facilitators of negotiation.
            tained attempts  at backchannel ne-  This hesitation is not necessarily   cation, Narendra Modi expressed   The alternative is a world where
            gotiations or multilateral mediation.  rooted in support for Iran, but rather  “deep concern over the deteriorating   crises are managed only through
            The familiar institutions — the Unit-  in a broader discomfort with the con-  security situation” and reiterated the   force and deterrence — a world that
            ed Nations, European interlocutors,  sequences of escalation. The mem-  need for stability. Yet, beyond such   is perpetually on edge, yet incapable
            or regional forums — have struggled   ory  of  prolonged  conflicts  —  from   statements lies a deeper question:   of meaningful resolution.
            to assert relevance. Instead, military   Iraq to Afghanistan — lingers heavi-  can India act as a mediator?  In that sense, the current mo-
            signaling and retaliatory strikes have   ly in global strategic thinking.  The answer is uncertain. India’s   ment  is  not  just  a  test  of  strategic
            dominated the discourse.              For India, the situation is par-  strategic autonomy and its relatively   choices, but of political imagination.
                What is perhaps most concern-  ticularly complex. New Delhi’s posi-  balanced relations with multiple ac-  Whether the international communi-
            ing is that few major powers are ac-  tion reflects a delicate balancing act   tors could, in theory, position it as a   ty can rediscover the value of diplo-
            tively advocating for dialogue in a   shaped by competing interests. On   credible interlocutor. However, me-  macy may well determine whether
            sustained, visible manner. Silence,  one hand, India has deepening stra-  diation  requires  not  just  neutrality   this becomes an era defined by con-
            in this context, becomes complic-  tegic ties with Israel, including in de-  but also acceptance by the warring   flict — or one that, despite its turbu-
            ity in escalation. Even tradition-  fense and technology. On the other,  parties — something that is far from   lence, finds a way back to dialogue.

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