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India In Korean War<\/strong><\/p>\n \n By Dr. D.K. Giri<\/strong><\/p>\n (Prof of Practice, NIIS Group of Institutions)<\/strong><\/p>\n \n The war in Iran has taken unanticipated turns. American President Donald Trump seems to have got stuck in a war that does not appear to end as per his calculation. It is like the war in Ukraine where Russian President Vladimir Putin grossly miscalculated his war objectives and the duration. Trump may have realised that the strength of an army does not accurately reflect on the ground. He may also be reminded of America\u2019s defeat in Vietnam and pulling out of Afghanistan without considerable success. He has appealed to his allies and other countries for help. He sought help for keeping the Strait of Hormuz clear and secure; but observers hint at his desperation for ending the war.<\/p>\n Washington exhorted a few energy-dependent countries including South Korea, Japan, European NATO members and even China to help in demilitarising Strait of Hormuz, which is under Iranian control. But none of these countries has made any tangible response. In fact, NATO, which has US as the leading member, has said \u2018no\u2019. China is most unlikely to extend any help. Other countries including a close friend of Washington, Britain, are prevaricating.<\/p>\n The negative or no response is a consequence of unilateral military action taken by Donald Trump against Iran. It is like inviting someone to join the meal while the person inviting is half-way through his lunch. Moreover, the unilateral steps without extensive coalition building and diplomatic footwork, has led European capitals including Berlin and Paris to react that action in Iran is not a NATO mandate.<\/p>\n The second option referred above is the conclusion of war that Trump is seeking to avoid the scars of Vietnam, Afghanistan and even Iraq. Although, these episodes were not a function of Trump\u2019s presidency, yet history repeats itself. This proverbial historical truth should be piercing Trump\u2019s swashbuckling leadership. A few international observers suggest that he may be turning to India for brokering a ceasefire. Trump has riled New Delhi with his rhetoric and unsubstantiated repeated claims on his mediation on India-Pakistan war that lasted for about 48 hours in 2025. However, he maintains that Prime Minister Modi is his close friend.<\/p>\n Some other notable leaders like Finland\u2019s President Alexander Stubb have urged India to give a hand citing New Delhi\u2019s diplomatic outreach and relations with both Iran and the US\/Israel. In an interview with Bloomberg, Stubb said that global efforts should focus on halting hostilities. He added, \u201cWe need a ceasefire\u2026 I am wondering if India can actually get involved. We saw Foreign Minister Jaishankar call for a ceasefire to calm things down\u201d.<\/p>\n Some of us have been urging Prime Minister Modi to give a hand in ending the war in Ukraine. But since there are many actors in the Ukrainian drama, it may have been a tall order for Modi to deal with them. But in Iran, there are only three countries at war, notwithstanding the reports about China and Russia actively helping Iran. It may therefore be easier for Modi to mediate.<\/p>\n It is worth recalling India\u2019s successful mediation in the Korean War (1950-53). This experience showcases India\u2019s ability to contribute to international conflict resolution and diplomacy. India can leverage its neutral stance and diplomatic relationship. In Korean War, as a part of armistice talks, India chaired the Neutral-Nations Repatriation Commission (NNRC) overseeing the exchange of prisoners of war. India\u2019s diplomatic efforts helped bring the US, China and North Korea to the negotiating table. New Delhi\u2019s neutral position and relations with both sides facilitated communication and confidence-building.<\/p>\n Admittedly, the Korean War in reference took place 75 years ago. But the logic and logistics of war and the human proclivities of actors involved remain just the same. So, the Korean experience could inform India\u2019s approach to mediating the Iran conflict in several ways. India can offer itself as a neutral platform for talks, just as it did in Korea. India\u2019s relationships with all three warring parties can help build trust and facilitate communication. India can explore creative diplomatic frameworks, like the NNRC model to address specific issues.<\/p>\n India can engage with international partners like EU and Gulf countries to build a consensus. New Delhi can propose humanitarian aid and support for affected civilians, demonstrating India\u2019s commitment to regional stability. It can explore economic cooperation and investment opportunities to encourage de-escalation and a ceasefire. India can use the multilateral platforms like the UN, BRICS, the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), even Quad to advocate for diplomacy and dialogue.<\/p>\n Prime Minister Modi has already spoken with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian expressing concern over the escalation of tensions and underscoring dialogue. New Delhi has also maintained communication with other regional leaders, including the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Israel. With some initial hesitation, New Delhi has made up with Iran which has allowed Indian cargo ships to sail through the Strait of Hormuz.<\/p>\n Experts believe India\u2019s neutrality and balanced stance on the Middle East make it an ideal mediator. India\u2019s relations with both Iran and Israel as well as its strong ties with Gulf countries, position it as a credible interlocutor. India could initiate diplomatic steps like hosting a summit in India to facilitate talks between Iran and the US\/Israel. It can offer India\u2019s good offices to facilitate backchannel negotiations. New Delhi can share its experiences in conflict management with China and Pakistan although it still experiences sporadic tensions with both countries. At the moment, India\u2019s relations with Pakistan are stalled. But I am referring to India-Pakistan relations since 1947.<\/p>\n The scope of India\u2019s involvement as a mediator relies solely on Donald Trump who is whimsical at his best. But he is a politician and will certainly be wary of his constituency and supporters. There is a theory emanating from the US that Trump went to Iran to divert the attention on Epstein files and from criticisms, court cases including the attempt for his impeachment. The continuation of war in Iran is exasperating his traditional supporters.<\/p>\n A middle-aged woman, who has won several beauty contests, a close supporter of Trump over 20 years, was heard saying on television that she did not know Trump anymore. Many of his supporters are anguished that a President who vowed not to get involved in military conflicts, claimed to have ended at least seven wars, pulled all stops to end the war in Ukraine, has himself launched a war.<\/p>\n Trump along with Netanyahu call the assault on Iran a pre-emptive strike. Trump\u2019s critics strongly argue that Iran had no plan whatsoever to attack either Israel or the United States. Trump was talked into the war by Israel Prime Minister Netanyahu who has been itching to invade Iran. This perspective was expressed by Joe Kent, the Director of the National Counterterrorism Centre, who resigned from his post on Tuesday (17 March) in protest against the military strikes in Iran.<\/p>\n As things are hotting up for Trump at home, he may be inclined to take any help to get out of the Iran imbroglio. New Delhi has an opportunity to step in. \u2014 INFA<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" India In Korean War By Dr. D.K. Giri (Prof of Practice, NIIS Group of Institutions) The war in Iran has taken unanticipated turns. American President Donald Trump seems to have got stuck in a war that does not appear to end as per his calculation. It is like the war in Ukraine where Russian President […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[16],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-280673","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-features"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/arunachaltimes.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/280673","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/arunachaltimes.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/arunachaltimes.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/arunachaltimes.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/arunachaltimes.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=280673"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/arunachaltimes.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/280673\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":280680,"href":"https:\/\/arunachaltimes.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/280673\/revisions\/280680"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/arunachaltimes.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=280673"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/arunachaltimes.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=280673"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/arunachaltimes.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=280673"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}