Indian premier calls for de-escalation in Middle East, stresses diplomacy

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday called for de-escalation in the Middle East and stressed the need for dialogue and diplomacy during a phone call with Kuwait’s Emir Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah.

According to a statement from Modi’s office, the two leaders discussed the evolving security situation in the region.

Modi expressed “deep concern” over the escalation and reaffirmed India’s “strong condemnation of attacks on Kuwait’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.”

He also called for “de-escalation, dialogue and diplomacy” to restore peace and stability as soon as possible, the statement said.

The call came after Iran and Israel exchanged fire for the first time since an April ceasefire, amid broader tensions in the region following recent Iranian strikes in the Gulf.

On Wednesday, an Indian national was killed in an Iranian drone strike on Kuwait International Airport. Kuwait said that Iranian strikes killed one person, injured 63 and damaged key facilities, including diplomatic missions.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claimed that the attacks targeted US bases in Kuwait in retaliation for an American strike on Qeshm Island in southern Iran early Wednesday.

The conflict has affected citizens from several Asian countries. According to an Anadolu tally, at least 26 people from across the region have been killed or remain missing since the war began in late February, when the US and Israel launched strikes against Iran.

The figure includes eight Indians, one of whom remains missing; four Bangladeshis; four Pakistanis; and one person each from China, Nepal and the Philippines. Three nationals each from Indonesia and Thailand also remain missing in waters around the Middle East.