India’s World, Volume 2, Issue 4, April 2026
The Iran War

India’s World returns with an issue dedicated to a conflict that is rapidly reshaping India’s strategic landscape: the Iran war. What began as coordinated US–Israeli strikes has evolved into a global crisis, exposing the fragility of regional order and the vulnerabilities of interconnected economies. This issue examines what the war means for India’s foreign policy, economic development, energy security, and global positioning.

The opening section frames the crisis through an India-centric lens. Happymon Jacob analyses how the conflict has become a multi-front challenge—from maritime security and diplomacy to energy dependence and diaspora risks. Complementary explainers track disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz and map sharply divided global responses.

The cover story section brings together leading voices to examine deeper structural questions. Syed Akbaruddin explores India’s exposure in the Gulf, while Nicolas Blarel and Anil Kumar Chawla assess the economic and strategic implications of a prolonged conflict. Srikanth Kondapalli and Deepika Saraswat examine China’s response and Iran’s regime resilience.

Beyond geopolitics, essays on history, law, and culture—from Palmyra to Persian poetry and Lucknow’s cultural connections with Iran—highlight the civilisational depth underlying the conflict.

The Iran war captures a moment of profound uncertainty. For India, the challenge is not to pick sides, but to preserve strategic space in a region it can no longer afford to treat as peripheral.