INDO-IRANIAN TIES: THICKER THAN OIL
This article examines the nature and extent of the Indo-Iranian relationship. Interest in this bilateral relationship piqued in the United States due to the policy debate surrounding the United States-India civilian nuclear agreement and the ever-deepening Iranian nuclear crisis. While it has become de rigueur to suggest that this relationship is centered on hydrocarbon politics, this article contends that the Indo-Iranian relationship has much more to do with India’s great power aspirations and concomitant expansive agenda for Central Asia. This article concludes with some reflections on the limits of this relationship and the importance of India to international efforts to contain Iran.
Indo-Iranian Relations during the Cold War
Abstract India and Iran have shared a rich history of civilisational ties for many centuries. The close historical relations were, however, ruined by the British rule and the subsequent loss of contiguity owing to the creation of Pakistan. Iran's alliance with the Western bloc and India's adherence to the principles of non-alignment, albeit with leanings towards the Soviet Union, were the major determinants of Indo-Iranian bilateral relations until 1979. Pakistan, and its impression on the successive Iranian regimes, also played a major role in this relationship. The Islamic Revolution of 1979 changed the situation dramatically, with Iran overnight becoming a staunch US foe. The ensuing Iran–Iraq war and the Soviet Union's invasion of Afghanistan then acted as further spoilers for the development of cordial ties between India and Iran. Extraneous factors continually prevented Indo-Iranian political relations from maturing. Economic relations, in turn, were held hostage and remained far from substantive.
In the News
Spanish-speaking patients may now benefit from the new Spanish-language general eye health brochure, Visión Saludable (Healthy Vision), available on the National Eye Institute website: www.nei.nih.gov/health/espanol/saludable.htm. This brochure provides a wide array of information on eye health including diabetic eye disease, glaucoma, cataracts, age-related macular degeneration, comprehensive eye exams, common vision problems, eye myths and facts, tips for talking to your doctor, a glossary, and a list of resources.