India Backs West Asia Ceasefire, Stresses Dialogue for Lasting Peace

Addressing an inter-ministerial briefing in the national capital, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, "We welcome the ceasefire reached and hope that it leads to a lasting peace in West Asia as we have continuously advocated earlier."

Highlighting India's long-standing diplomatic position on the crisis, Jaiswal noted that "de-escalation, dialogue and diplomacy are essential to bring an early end to the ongoing conflict."

He further underscored the humanitarian and economic toll of the war, stating that the "conflict has already caused immense suffering to people and disrupted global energy supply and trade networks."

A primary concern for India remains the security of vital maritime routes, particularly the Strait of Hormuz, which has faced significant disruption during the hostilities.

"We expect that unimpeded freedom of navigation and global flow of commerce would prevail through the Strait of Hormuz," the spokesperson remarked.

Reiterating India's broader commitment to global stability, Jaiswal stated, "We welcome all steps that lead to peace and stability. We hope that this development in West Asia will also encourage peace efforts in Ukraine."

The spokesperson's remarks during the briefing followed an official statement issued by the Ministry of External Affairs earlier on Wednesday. In its initial communication regarding the breakthrough between the United States and Iran, the MEA had expressed its expectation that the agreement would secure the "unimpeded freedom of navigation" and restore the "global flow of commerce" through the critical Strait of Hormuz.

This Indian diplomatic response comes in the wake of a significant de-escalation by US President Donald Trump, who suspended his "bombing and attack" campaign against Iran. Announcing a 14-day "double-sided ceasefire," Trump indicated that a 10-point proposal submitted by Tehran proved to be a "workable basis on which to negotiate."

In a post on Truth Social, the US President revealed that the pause in military action was facilitated by Pakistani leadership. "Based on conversations with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Asim Munir, of Pakistan, and wherein they requested that I hold off the destructive force being sent tonight to Iran... I agree to suspend the bombing and attack of Iran for a period of two weeks," Trump said.

Trump maintained that the ceasefire was possible as the US has "already met and exceeded all Military objectives," adding that both nations are now "very far along with a definitive Agreement concerning Long-term PEACE with Iran." According to the President, Iran has agreed to "almost all the various points of past contention," allowing a window for a permanent settlement to be finalised.

Accepting the American peace overture, Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi confirmed Tehran's commitment to the truce. Araghchi stated that if "attacks against Iran are halted, our Powerful Armed Forces will cease their defensive operations," while declaring that "safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz will be possible via coordination with Iran's Armed Forces."

The cooling of tensions and the implementation of the two-week pause have set the stage for formal high-level engagement. Talks between the Iranian side, led by Parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, and the US delegation, led by Vice-President JD Vance, are scheduled to commence this Friday in Islamabad.

- ANI