India tells US it will engage all who matter
In a clear message of assertive diplomacy to the United States, India on Thursday said it will engage with all relevant stakeholders to ensure its energy security.
Replying to questions on whether India would adhere to a US dictated November 4 deadline to stop importing crude oil from Iran, MEA spokesperson Ravish Kumar said, “As far as we are concerned, we will take all necessary steps, including engagement with relevant stakeholders, to ensure our energy security. I have said that we will continue to engage with all stakeholders and we will ensure that our energy security is not compromised.”
The spokesperson’s assertive reply at a media conference was ample hint that India would be guided by its own energy needs and not compliance to the will of the United States.
The observations by India’s Foreign Ministry came within an hour of visiting US Permanent Representative to UN, Nikki R. Haley, saying that “If you look at all the conflicts in the region, the one thing they have in common is Iran. The US wants to be cautious. What we are going to continue to do is to keep the pressure on and we hope that other countries will join us.”
Haley, formerly Governor of South Carolina, went to the extent of calling Iran the “next North Korea”, at an event organised by the Observer Research Foundation here this afternoon.
In a bid to persuade India to drop Iran altogether from its list of crude oil suppliers, Ms Haley said, “We strongly believe that Iran is a threat. We still believe that we can’t take our eyes off Iran. And, we don’t believe this because of some ideas. We believe this because it is the truth. “
Haley warned the international community that it cannot be blind to violations by Iran because every one of these violations is a threat to
all of us. “We have seen that in spite of the Iran deal, where I realized that many countries invested time and effort, Iran still, with all of those incentives, has continued to violate resolution after resolution.”
Enumerating the violations by Iran, Haley said, “They violated the building of ballistic missiles, they violated by supporting terrorism.”
Haley is reported to have told Prime Minister Narendra Modi that it was important for India to cut Iranian oil use.
India is the biggest importer of Iranian oil after China. In her 20 minute speech at Hotel Oberoi, Haley described Iran as a “theocratic dictatorship that abuses its people, funds terrorism and spreads conflict throughout the Middle East.
She said that there is “great opportunity for the United States to help meet India’s energy needs. Recent purchases of US crude and liquefied natural gas are just a couple examples of this potential.”
In an interview to NDTV, Haley said that India needs to rethink its relationship with Iran. “All of us have to rethink who we choose to do business with.”
The postponement of the previously scheduled July 6 Defence and Foreign Ministers dialogue in Washington DC between India and US in the middle of Niky Hailey’s visit is being seen as arm-twisting by the US to bring India to accept its position on Iran.
The US embassy however attempted to put such speculation to rest through a Press statement issued earlier in the day. The statement read, “This scheduling change was prompted by reasons entirely unrelated to the bilateral relationship.’’
Echoing the same view in her speech, Haley said, “Our relationship will mark a new milestone when the US and India conduct the first 2+2 dialogue. The delay in that meeting was completely unrelated to India. The time and location are being rescheduled now. It will happen soon.”
The External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson too emphasised that India and U.S. will remain engaged to finalise the dates for the dialogue in the near future either in India or in the U.S.