Modi, Pezeshkian stress seafarer safety at BRICS — SkimNews
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- Modi met Iran's Pezeshkian on Sept 11 in New Delhi on the eve of the BRICS leaders' summit, emphasizing freedom of navigation, commerce, and seafarer safety in India's foreign ministry readout.
- The meeting came as the US and Iran resumed tit-for-tat strikes after an August pause, with vessel attacks in the region having killed at least 10 Indian nationals.
- It was the second Modi-Pezeshkian meeting in two weeks; their Aug 31 talks at the SCO summit in Bishkek produced a joint declaration condemning the US-Israeli military campaign against Iran and Western sanctions.
- Speaking at the BRICS Business Forum alongside Pezeshkian and Russian President Putin, Modi said global trade can only progress if sea lanes are secure, supply routes remain open, and seafarers are safe.
- Pezeshkian called on BRICS to prevent any country from disrupting "legitimate trade," accusing unnamed actors of weaponizing economic pressure to jeopardize other countries' commerce.
Why it matters: India has condemned Iran's attacks on Gulf neighbors while simultaneously signing a declaration against the US-Israeli campaign — a balancing act sharpened by at least 10 Indian deaths in regional vessel strikes. Modi's BRICS-stage call for secure sea lanes has New Delhi pressing both sides diplomatically rather than picking one, deepening India's hedge across all regional partners.
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