New Delhi, March 25 (ANI) – Former Indian diplomat Gurjit Singh said the phone call between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump after the outbreak of the Iran war signals Washington’s intent to keep India closely consulted on developments in West Asia. Singh told ANI that the timing and tone of the call suggest the United States recognizes India’s growing role and its stake in regional stability, particularly given the potential economic impact of the conflict. He noted the call came soon after President Trump’s Truth Social announcement of a pause in attacks on energy infrastructure and on the second day of that pause, which Singh said showed the US wanted to keep India in the loop and consult it. Singh said India has been quietly engaging with multiple regional players and maintaining contact with leaders across the region while avoiding taking sides. That discreet diplomacy appears to be having an effect, he added, and is driven in part by India’s position as one of the world’s largest economies vulnerable to disruptions from war. He also pointed out that Modi had already spoken with several regional leaders during the crisis, but this was the first direct call from President Trump since hostilities escalated. Singh described an emerging consultation process and called the US call an important development that could help India if efforts to de-escalate succeed. On claims by President Trump that the US has obtained ‘military dominance’ and effectively won the war, Singh urged caution, saying the fog of war makes it hard to verify competing statements from Washington and Tehran. He emphasized that there is no confirmed ceasefire, only a limited pause by the US on attacks against energy infrastructure, and that Israel is not party to that pause and continues its own operations, which Iran does not accept. Singh also highlighted broader economic effects of the crisis, citing falling oil prices, gains in some stock markets, and concern in the US as Treasury yields crossed 5 percent. He said reports of a proposed 15-point ceasefire plan and talks between Washington and Tehran remain unclear, with little confirmed about who the interlocutors are or to whom plans have been presented. Media and social media speculation, he added, have further complicated the picture. (ANI)
