Inside the Iran Conflict: Power, Strategy, and India’s Balancing Act

In this episode of Interpreting India, Srinath Raghavan speaks with Gaddam Dharmendra, Nonresident Senior Fellow, Carnegie India and India’s former Ambassador to Iran about the ongoing U.S.-Israel conflict with Iran and what it means for the region. The conversation looks at Iran’s response to sustained attacks, the wider impact on energy markets and regional stability, and the changing relationships between Iran, the Gulf countries, and global powers. It also reflects on India’s position as it balances its ties across West Asia while navigating strategic and economic pressures, and what lies ahead as the conflict continues to shape the region. How is Iran seeing and handling the current conflict? Why has the Iranian system held together despite sustained attacks? How are regional relationships in West Asia shifting because of this conflict? What does all of this mean for India’s interests and decisions in the region?