WHAT was assumed as a limited strike against an already battered opponent has turned into a widespread conflict with no clear exit routes in sight. The military and tech might of the United States and the supreme operational capabilities of Israel looked like a powerful double-barrel ensuring the swift end of Iran. But, the power has turned out to be a myth and the world has clearly underestimated Iran’s strengths. As another February war enters the long-haul lane, its effects have already made the world scurrying for protection. It is a global problem now with oil and gas supplies held hostage by the war.

 

Despite the rhetoric and continued mockery of Iran, US President Donald Trump is feeling the heat this time. Still basking in the kidnapping of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in an operation spanning only a few minutes, Trump has been stumped by Iran’s resilience. Iran’s response by making the war a multiple front campaign has unleashed a new gameplan which US and Israel clearly failed to factor in. The killing of its supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has added a heavy layer of revenge in the Iranian response. Tehran is using all of its tricks to make America bleed with precision attacks on its bases in the Gulf region. This strategy is a double-edged sword but Iran’s leadership looks to have prepared even for the worst. The usually calm safe havens in the Gulf are experiencing the heat of the widespread war. Iran has attacked facilities at as many as ten countries even as the US is pondering over its next move.

 

The retaliation by Iran with this unique gameplan has surprised America. It has multiple fronts to cover against a nation seething in anger over its leader’s killing. As the war nears a fortnight, the nations directly or indirectly affected by its effects are weighing their responses. Some have already chosen their side while some have been forced into taking a stand. Only a few are looking at the whole gamut with a neutral view while seeking opening for diplomacy to sneak in and halt the fighting. Analysts are keenly watching this strategic silence with a special focus on India. The emerging world power has still kept its cards close to the chest, appealing for peace and dialogue but choosing neutrality.

 

This silence is not a weakness but a position with multiple benefits. Amid the fire and fury, India is making the most sophisticated diplomatic moves with a multi-arrangement operation. When reluctant nations like the United Kingdom are being dragged into military operations against Iran, New Delhi has chosen to stay mum despite close proximity with the war theatre. The flames have reached its backyard after the sinking of Iranian warship IRIS Dena off the Sri Lankan coast in the Indian Ocean but India has refused to get dragged into the fight. It neither commented on the death of Ali Khamenei except offering condolences, nor has India said a word on the sinking of Dena. It is not a stony silence but a strategy coming from a practised policy. Taking sides at the peak of a conflict is not India’s style of diplomacy. New Delhi always responds with a long-term view and distinct assessment, prioritising its own interests and people. India has been very calculated in this highly volatile world.

 

The US-Iran conflict is a geopolitical whirlpool which can gobble up nations with rudderless foreign policies. Look at the diplomatic maze Pakistan has walked into with its mindless decisions. In a blink it hopped on to the Board of Peace formed by the US without realising that it was siding with old enemy Israel. The dimwits in Islamabad and Rawalpindi military headquarters were too eager to lick the American boots. Pakistan is now getting squeezed in the aftermath, facing civil unrest due to no Plan B. Away from the heat, what India is doing is of great significance. Look at the multi-alignment strategy India has employed; A few days before the attack on Iran, Prime Minister Narendra Modi sealed a Special Strategic Partnership with Israel. At the same time, India was hosting the now-destroyed Iranian warship for a naval exercise. Before that a draft trade deal was finalised with the US on Indian terms. Despite the tariff threats, India continued purchase of Russian oil. Silently, India-China bilateral trade has surged to a historic high. Parallelly, India has lifted curbs on FDI from China. In modern diplomatic history, India is playing a complex strategy of being on all tables with exemplary dexterity.

 

The point here is about India’s position as a bridge between all ports. New Delhi courted Vladimir Putin of Russia with the same warmth it displayed for Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine. It elevated ties with Beijing with exports surging up 37% in FY26 and simultaneously signed the ‘Mother of All Deals’ with the European Union. It has deepened strategic ties with Washington and Tel Aviv and separately will chair the BRICS platform this year hosting China, Russia and Iran – all adversaries of the United States. It is not playing all sides but making a bold and dashing display of practising strategic autonomy. The silence on the developments in West Asia is a calculated move by New Delhi. It brings multiple benefits in this highly polarised world. India is wanted on both sides for the pragmatism it brings to the table with a stated policy of building a co-operative society. Some might term it as a tight-rope walk for India given the rapidly changing equations between countries. But in the world of diplomacy, it is known as a strategic balance where being neutral is never seen as a sign of betrayal. The silence is working for India, silently.