Modi Makes Rare Comment on Middle East As US Sinks Iran Warship

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(Bloomberg) — Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said military conflict — whether in Ukraine or the Middle East — cannot resolve problems, in his first public remarks since the US sank an Iranian warship off Sri Lanka’s coast.

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Speaking after bilateral talks with Finland’s President Alexander Stubb in New Delhi, Modi emphasized “dialog and diplomacy” as the only sustainable path to resolving disputes. “We both agree that military conflict alone cannot yield a solution to any issue, be it Ukraine or West Asia,” he said Thursday in a joint statement with Stubb.

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India has so far stopped short of condemning the US-Israeli attack. New Delhi has historical ties with Iran and had previously bought large quantities of its oil. At the same time, Modi faces precarious relations with the US administration after it slapped punitive 50% tariffs on Indian exports last year, before abruptly unveiling a trade deal that reduced the duties.

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New Delhi’s diplomatic challenge intensified further after the US sank an Iranian warship on Wednesday, bringing the Middle East war to India’s backyard. The vessel had participated in a flagship Indian naval exercise just days earlier.

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Modi’s silence has drawn criticism from opposition leaders, though Stubb said the world could learn from the Indian leader’s measured and balanced approach.

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“You have always based your foreign policy on a pragmatic and realistic world view,” Stubb told Modi at the joint session. “You have shown the rest of the world that strategic caution and safeguarding autonomy means a lot.”

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The Finnish leader’s four-day visit to India comes just days after the US and Israel began coordinated military campaign against Iran. The visit carries an added weight as Stubb has emerged as one of the few leaders US President Donald Trump appears to engage with closely. The two played golf together in Florida last spring and have remained in regular contact since.

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India is one of the more vulnerable economies in Asia to the fallout from the war, given its heavy dependence on imported crude and energy shipments that transit the strategic Strait of Hormuz.

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India-Europe Ties

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Stubb’s visit also comes as Modi steps up efforts to strengthen ties with Europe after months of trade tensions with the Trump administration. New Delhi is seeking to diversify its trade partnerships, signing major agreements with the European Union and the UK. 

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“India and Finland both believe in the rule of law,” Modi said Thursday, adding that the two countries agreed to deepen cooperation in areas including clean energy and technology. 

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A string of senior European leaders have traveled to India in recent weeks, including European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and French President Emmanuel Macron. Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo also visited last month for a major AI summit in New Delhi, underscoring the deepening engagement.

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Stubb said the two countries aim to double bilateral trade and agreed to deepen cooperation across several sectors. The president is accompanied by a high-level delegation of senior officials and business leaders, and will serve as chief guest and keynote speaker at the Raisina Dialogue on Thursday, India’s flagship conference on geopolitics and geoeconomics.

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“In my speech at Raisina, I will once again call for a change in the multilateral system where the division of labor and power would reflect today’s world,” Stubb said. “Therefore, a seat in the UN Security Council for India is of utmost importance.”

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