Government calls for de-escalation and unimpeded navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, does not acknowledge Pakistan’s role in U.S.-Iran ceasefire talks
The Indian government on Wednesday (April 8, 2026) welcomed the U.S.-Iran ceasefire agreement brokered by Pakistan close to the deadline, calling for an early end to the conflict and for “unimpeded” trade flow through the Strait of Hormuz.
In a carefully worded statement, the Ministry of External Affairs did not refer directly to any of the parties in the conflict by name. Unlike other foreign ministries in other capitals, the MEA did not “thank” Pakistan for its role in mediating between both sides and for offering to host the next round of talks expected this week.
However, the MEA said it hoped that the development in West Asia “will also encourage peace efforts in Ukraine”, drawing a parallel to trilateral talks between Russia, Ukraine, and the U.S.
India is expected to further articulate its position as Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri is in Washington. After meeting visiting Bangladesh Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman in Delhi on Wednesday (April 8), External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar will travel to Mauritius on April 10 for a regional Indian Ocean conference where he will meet counterparts from South Asia and West Asia, and will then fly to the United Arab Emirates for talks on April 11 and 12.
The agreement was announced overnight by U.S. President Donald Trump, less than two hours before his 8 p.m. deadline (05:30 a.m. India time) for the Iranian government to comply with his demands expired.
“We welcome the ceasefire reached and hope that it will lead to a lasting peace in West Asia,” the MEA statement said, adding that “de-escalation, dialogue, and diplomacy” are essential to bring an early end to the ongoing conflict.
“The conflict has already caused immense suffering to people and disrupted global energy supply and trade networks,” it said, referring to both the airstrikes by the U.S. and Israel and Iran as well as Iran’s control of the Strait of Hormuz, where only about eight of roughly 25 ships stuck in the strait have been allowed to come through.
“We expect that unimpeded freedom of navigation and global flow of commerce would prevail through the Strait of Hormuz,” it added.
The ceasefire announcement, which is due to be followed by talks in Islamabad on Friday (April 10), came as a relief to countries in the region and across the world that have suffered heavy economic losses due to trade and shipping disruptions. The timing of the announcement was particularly tense due to Mr. Trump’s comments on Tuesday, threatening that a “whole civilisation will die”, if Iran did not accept a deal and open up the Strait of Hormuz. In an apparent climbdown, Mr. Trump said that the ceasefire had been declared to discuss Iran’s 10-point proposal in response to the U.S.’ 15-point proposal. However, there is little clarity that the U.S. demands would be met by Iran.
As reports suggest the next round of talks could be held in Islamabad on Friday, with U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance and Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf expected to attend, analysts said that New Delhi would need to watch a number of factors closely, including the sustainability of the ceasefire, opening of the Strait of Hormuz, as well as whether the role of Pakistan in the peace talks would alter India’s regional balance.
While the Modi government had not offered to mediate the crisis, there was some discomfiture in Delhi as Islamabad took centre stage in the talks, convening a quadrilateral meeting with the Foreign Ministers of Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Turkiye, and issuing a five-point peace proposal jointly with China. At an all-party meeting where the government faced pointed questions from the opposition about Prime Minister Modi’s visit to Israel just prior to the war and Pakistan’s leadership’s peacemaking role, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar made pejorative remarks about Pakistan, calling it a “dalal [broker] nation”.
As a result, unlike the U.S., Iran, Gulf countries, the EU, and several European countries including Germany, India did not mention Pakistan while reacting to the ceasefire.
“There is no need to react to Pakistan’s role in brokering the agreement, nor to object to it,” former Ambassador to Iran and the UAE K.C. Singh said, calling for India to welcome the ceasefire agreement as continued hostilities would have hurt the Indian economy, diaspora in the Gulf and energy and trade links with Gulf countries.
“Diplomatically, India must track whether Pakistan’s new role in the region and ties with the US, encourages its leadership to raise or highlight the Kashmir issue at international fora,” he added however, pointing out that this might reverse India’s efforts of nearly two decades.
In addition, New Delhi will track how other countries in the neighbourhood respond to the agreement, given all South Asian countries faced major losses due to trade, energy shortages, tourism and export disruptions and the presence of millions of expatriate citizens working across the Gulf region.
India welcomes Pakistan-brokered Iran-U.S. ceasefire, stresses dialogue and diplomacy
Government calls for de-escalation and unimpeded navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, does not acknowledge Pakistan’s role in U.S.-Iran ceasefire talks
The Indian government on Wednesday (April 8, 2026) welcomed the U.S.-Iran ceasefire agreement brokered by Pakistan close to the deadline, calling for an early end to the conflict and for “unimpeded” trade flow through the Strait of Hormuz.
In a carefully worded statement, the Ministry of External Affairs did not refer directly to any of the parties in the conflict by name. Unlike other foreign ministries in other capitals, the MEA did not “thank” Pakistan for its role in mediating between both sides and for offering to host the next round of talks expected this week.
However, the MEA said it hoped that the development in West Asia “will also encourage peace efforts in Ukraine”, drawing a parallel to trilateral talks between Russia, Ukraine, and the U.S.
India is expected to further articulate its position as Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri is in Washington. After meeting visiting Bangladesh Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman in Delhi on Wednesday (April 8), External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar will travel to Mauritius on April 10 for a regional Indian Ocean conference where he will meet counterparts from South Asia and West Asia, and will then fly to the United Arab Emirates for talks on April 11 and 12.
The agreement was announced overnight by U.S. President Donald Trump, less than two hours before his 8 p.m. deadline (05:30 a.m. India time) for the Iranian government to comply with his demands expired.
“We welcome the ceasefire reached and hope that it will lead to a lasting peace in West Asia,” the MEA statement said, adding that “de-escalation, dialogue, and diplomacy” are essential to bring an early end to the ongoing conflict.
“The conflict has already caused immense suffering to people and disrupted global energy supply and trade networks,” it said, referring to both the airstrikes by the U.S. and Israel and Iran as well as Iran’s control of the Strait of Hormuz, where only about eight of roughly 25 ships stuck in the strait have been allowed to come through.
“We expect that unimpeded freedom of navigation and global flow of commerce would prevail through the Strait of Hormuz,” it added.
The ceasefire announcement, which is due to be followed by talks in Islamabad on Friday (April 10), came as a relief to countries in the region and across the world that have suffered heavy economic losses due to trade and shipping disruptions. The timing of the announcement was particularly tense due to Mr. Trump’s comments on Tuesday, threatening that a “whole civilisation will die”, if Iran did not accept a deal and open up the Strait of Hormuz. In an apparent climbdown, Mr. Trump said that the ceasefire had been declared to discuss Iran’s 10-point proposal in response to the U.S.’ 15-point proposal. However, there is little clarity that the U.S. demands would be met by Iran.
As reports suggest the next round of talks could be held in Islamabad on Friday, with U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance and Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf expected to attend, analysts said that New Delhi would need to watch a number of factors closely, including the sustainability of the ceasefire, opening of the Strait of Hormuz, as well as whether the role of Pakistan in the peace talks would alter India’s regional balance.
While the Modi government had not offered to mediate the crisis, there was some discomfiture in Delhi as Islamabad took centre stage in the talks, convening a quadrilateral meeting with the Foreign Ministers of Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Turkiye, and issuing a five-point peace proposal jointly with China. At an all-party meeting where the government faced pointed questions from the opposition about Prime Minister Modi’s visit to Israel just prior to the war and Pakistan’s leadership’s peacemaking role, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar made pejorative remarks about Pakistan, calling it a “dalal [broker] nation”.
As a result, unlike the U.S., Iran, Gulf countries, the EU, and several European countries including Germany, India did not mention Pakistan while reacting to the ceasefire.
“There is no need to react to Pakistan’s role in brokering the agreement, nor to object to it,” former Ambassador to Iran and the UAE K.C. Singh said, calling for India to welcome the ceasefire agreement as continued hostilities would have hurt the Indian economy, diaspora in the Gulf and energy and trade links with Gulf countries.
“Diplomatically, India must track whether Pakistan’s new role in the region and ties with the US, encourages its leadership to raise or highlight the Kashmir issue at international fora,” he added however, pointing out that this might reverse India’s efforts of nearly two decades.
In addition, New Delhi will track how other countries in the neighbourhood respond to the agreement, given all South Asian countries faced major losses due to trade, energy shortages, tourism and export disruptions and the presence of millions of expatriate citizens working across the Gulf region.
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