Indian Defence Review

This big picture of strategic weight must be kept in view while working out India’s response so as to not to impinge on national interests.

Israel, the western alliance led by America and the Arab world constitute large group of countries, which offer huge strategic benefits. This big picture of strategic weight must be kept in view while working out India’s response so as to not to impinge on national interests.

Besides lack of resources, most of the western armies are exhausted and are in withdrawal mode from Afghanistan. Further, this being an election year in USA, the domestic constituency after Iraq and Afghanistan wars will not permit America to be involved in another war. The economic recession in the European Union is too severe to be overlooked. Therefore, most of the players that support Israel are not willing to precipitate  a conflict even  while there are clear indications  that Iran is moving towards becoming a nuclear weapon state.

In case war is imposed, Iran will mine the Strait of Hormuz and disrupt  oil supplies to majority of the countries. While Iran may not have conventional military superiority, it definitely boasts of asymmetric warfare capabilities that can damage the already heavily recessed world economy. Despite the grave  provocation by Iran through display of nuclear technology capabilities, it is in the interest of majority of the nations to avert war.

India is one of the few countries in the world that maintains healthy relationships with most of the nations involved. It is in India’s interest, therefore, to emerge in the role of a mediator to diffuse tensions between different players.