New Delhi’s sanction

the International Atomic Energy Agency. Delhi’s political posturing,with an eye to domestic audiences,on the rights and wrongs of the issues involved,will not do much for India. On the face of it,India is not obliged to abide by the unilateral Western sanctions against Iran,for these have not been endorsed by the UN Security Council. But the sanctions have been designed in such a way that Indian entities that continue to import oil and pay for them will have to bear much cost in dealing with the West.

The first task for India now is to make the best of the exceptions and deliberately designed loopholes in the US and EU measures against Iran. India’s second objective must be to quickly reduce its oil imports from Iran,which currently constitute nearly 15 per cent of its external supplies. A third task is to find alternative petroleum suppliers from around the world. Finally,India must unveil a visible and high-level political engagement with the Arab oil producers in the Persian Gulf,who will necessarily have a big part in replacing Iranian supplies. The Gulf Arab states,whose security is most threatened by Iran’s nuclear weapons,have repeatedly beseeched Delhi for political solidarity in recent months. India should no longer play hard to get.