Iran- India relations - Revision history

Jyoti: /* Muslims in India */

2026-03-29T10:19:58Z

‎Muslims in India

Pdewan: /* See also */

2026-03-09T09:29:17Z

‎See also

Pdewan: /* See also */

2026-03-09T09:28:19Z

‎See also

Jyoti: /* Muslims in India */

2025-07-06T20:22:58Z

‎Muslims in India

Jyoti: /* Chabahar */

2024-12-31T09:42:09Z

‎Chabahar

Pdewan: /* Nine pacts deepen ties further */

2024-05-15T21:14:24Z

‎Nine pacts deepen ties further

Pdewan: /* 2019 */

2024-05-15T20:39:21Z

‎2019

Pdewan: /* 2014 */

2024-05-15T20:38:19Z

‎2014

Jyoti at 09:11, 1 April 2019

2019-04-01T09:11:19Z

Jyoti: /* 2018 */

2018-07-03T22:52:11Z

‎2018

← Older revision		Revision as of 10:19, 29 March 2026
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	Despite Iran’s strong ties with India, Khamenei had in the past too raised issues concerning Muslims in India, more specifically over the situation in Jammu & Kashmir after its special status was revoked in 2019.		Despite Iran’s strong ties with India, Khamenei had in the past too raised issues concerning Muslims in India, more specifically over the situation in Jammu & Kashmir after its special status was revoked in 2019.
		+
		+	=Punjab and Iran=
		+	==As of 2026==
		+	[https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/chandigarh/punjan-iran-relations-sikh-delegation-condolence-ayatollah-khamenei-history-trade-10589050/ Kamaldeep Singh Brar, March 21, 2026: ''The Indian Express'']
		+
		+
		+	On March 9, a Sikh delegation led by the Akali Dal’s Delhi unit president, Paramjit Singh Sarna, visited the Iranian Embassy in New Delhi to sign the condolence book for Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, killed at the start of the Israel-US war on Iran.
		+
		+	On March 16, there was another visit, a quiet one, to mourn another passing. Abdul Majid Hakim Elahi, the representative of Iran’s Supreme Leader in India, visited Gurdwara Rakab Ganj Sahib in Delhi with colleagues to attend the final prayers for Sardar Parduman Singh Chandhok, who played a significant role in establishing gurdwaras in Iran.
		+
		+	The two visits, seven days apart, underlined the deep ties that run between Punjab and Iran, going back to ancient times. Many are being invoked now by people in the state, who view the war on Iran as unfair.
		+
		+	In the recent Punjab Assembly Session, Akali Dal MLA Sukhwinder Kumar Sukhi, sought that the House pass a resolution in support of Iran, which was not allowed by the Speaker. Sukhi told The Indian Express: “As a Punjabi, it is our duty to speak against the oppression. I also spoke on the Manipur violence in the Punjab Assembly in the past.”
		+
		+	Among those who have spoken up for Iran are pro-Khalistan parties such as the Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) and Dal Khalsa, which also questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his visit to Israel just before the attacks on Iran started. While regretting Iran’s attacks on its neighbours, the Dal Khalsa slammed the assassination of Khamenei, slamming the killing of “the head of a sovereign country” as “deplorable”.
		+
		+	Harpal Singh Pannu, Chairman of the Guru Nanak Research Chair at Chandigarh University, who travelled to Iran in 2009 and authored the book Iran Te Irani, refers to the religious, historical and linguistic links that tie Punjab and Iran.
		+
		+	During his fourth Udasi (travels), Guru Nanak Dev, accompanied by Bhai Mardana, is said to have visited the region. Today, a historical gurdwara stands in Tehran as a testament to the community’s presence.
		+
		+	During the Pahlavi royal dynasty’s time, the local Sikh population stood at nearly 20,000 families. About 2,500 Sikhs are believed to still be residents of Tehran.
		+
		+	Baba Farid, the revered Sufi saint whose verses are enshrined in the Guru Granth Sahib, is highly respected in Iran, with a prominent street in Tehran named ‘Baba Farid Street’.
		+
		+	Same as Urdu, many words in the Punjabi language too have their origin in Persian, with the region seeing the rule of various Persianate dynasties. After the Battle of Chamkaur, which he lost to the Mughal Army, Guru Gobind Singh penned Zafarnama: The Epistle of Victory in Persian to Aurangzeb, laying out why his was a moral victory. The most celebrated poet-devotee in Guru Gobind Singh’s court, Bhai Nand Lal, left behind renowned Persian works, blending Sufi mysticism with the core tenets of Sikh theology. In 1972, renowned scholar and diplomat Mushir-ul-Haq published the Persian translation of the Japji Sahib, the foundational prayer of Sikhism, known as Munajat-e-Bamdadi (The Morning Prayer).
		+
		+	The gumbad (dome) of Sikh gurdwaras is also an import from Persian-style architecture, points out Pannu.
		+
		+	Deeper than that is the shared concept of “Shahadat”. “The concept of a shahid – one who voluntarily gives up one’s life for a principle or truth – moved from Islamic and Persian thought into Sikh consciousness. The Ha da Naara (a cry for justice) often heard in Punjab is a reflection of this shared history of resilience,” says Pannu.
		+
		+	Says social activist Gangveer Rathur, “During the reign of Darius, Punjab was part of the Persian Empire. The politics of hate is not effective in Punjab, which is why there is such deep sympathy for Iran.”
		+
		+	In recent years, trade has further deepened the ties. Pointing out that Iran along with the rest of West Asia is a primary market for Punjab’s Basmati, farmer leader Satnam Singh Ajnala says: “We fear an adverse impact on farmers in the coming season.” Ajnala also talks about how a government promise to take Punjab farmers on a visit to Iran to “explore new opportunities” never fructified.
		+
		+	The region, in fact, had high expectations of trade seeing an upswing after the completion of the Chabahar Port in Iran. Given the regional instability and shifting geopolitical dynamics, that increasingly looks distant now.
		+
		+	[[Category:Economy-Industry-Resources\|I IRAN- INDIA RELATIONSIRAN- INDIA RELATIONSIRAN- INDIA RELATIONSIRAN- INDIA RELATIONSIRAN- INDIA RELATIONS
		+	IRAN- INDIA RELATIONS]]
		+	[[Category:Foreign Relations\|I IRAN- INDIA RELATIONSIRAN- INDIA RELATIONSIRAN- INDIA RELATIONSIRAN- INDIA RELATIONSIRAN- INDIA RELATIONS
		+	IRAN- INDIA RELATIONS]]
		+	[[Category:India\|I IRAN- INDIA RELATIONSIRAN- INDIA RELATIONSIRAN- INDIA RELATIONSIRAN- INDIA RELATIONSIRAN- INDIA RELATIONS
		+	IRAN- INDIA RELATIONS]]
		+	[[Category:Iran\|I IRAN- INDIA RELATIONSIRAN- INDIA RELATIONSIRAN- INDIA RELATIONSIRAN- INDIA RELATIONSIRAN- INDIA RELATIONS
		+	IRAN- INDIA RELATIONS]]

	=Students from India in Iran=		=Students from India in Iran=

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 IRAN- INDIA RELATIONS]]
 [[Category:Iran|I IRAN- INDIA RELATIONSIRAN- INDIA RELATIONSIRAN- INDIA RELATIONS
 IRAN- INDIA RELATIONS]]

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 [[Iran- India relations]]
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 IRAN- INDIA RELATIONS]]
 [[Category:Iran|I IRAN- INDIA RELATIONSIRAN- INDIA RELATIONS
 IRAN- INDIA RELATIONS]]

← Older revision		Revision as of 20:22, 6 July 2025
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	Despite Iran’s strong ties with India, Khamenei had in the past too raised issues concerning Muslims in India, more specifically over the situation in Jammu & Kashmir after its special status was revoked in 2019.		Despite Iran’s strong ties with India, Khamenei had in the past too raised issues concerning Muslims in India, more specifically over the situation in Jammu & Kashmir after its special status was revoked in 2019.
		+
		+	=Students from India in Iran=
		+	==As of 2025==
		+	[https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-global/why-indian-kashmir-iran-10081970/ June 24, 2025: ''The Indian Express'']
		+
		+
		+	The ongoing Iran–Israel conflict, and the Indian government’s efforts to evacuate its citizens — especially medical students — from the region, has once again thrown the spotlight on a recurring question: Why do so many Indian students go abroad to study medicine?
		+
		+	According to the MEA’s estimated data of Indian students studying abroad, in 2022, about 2,050 students were enrolled in Iran, mostly for medical studies, at institutions like the Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University and Islamic Azad University. A significant number of the students are from Kashmir.
		+
		+	This is not the first time a geopolitical crisis has exposed the scale of India’s outbound medical education. In 2022, during the Russia – Ukraine war, the Indian government had to evacuate thousands of medical students under ‘Operation Ganga’.
		+
		+	''' A growing trend '''
		+
		+	Despite a significant rise in the number of medical seats in India—from around 51,000 MBBS seats in 2014 to 1.18 lakh in 2024 —tens of thousands of students continue to pursue medical education abroad. The trend is visible in the rising number of candidates appearing for the Foreign Medical Graduate Examination (FMGE), which is mandatory for practising medicine in India after studying abroad. About 79,000 students appeared for the FMGE in 2024, up from 61,616 in 2023 and just over 52,000 in 2022.
		+
		+	This outward movement is driven by two main factors: competitiveness and cost.
		+
		+	“While the number of MBBS seats have increased in the country, the field continues to remain competitive. Students have to get a very good rank to get into government colleges,” said Dr Pawanindra Lal, former executive director of the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences, which conducts the FMGE.
		+
		+	More than 22.7 lakh candidates appeared for NEET-UG in 2024 for just over 1 lakh MBBS seats. Only around half of these seats are in government colleges. The rest are in private institutions, where costs can soar.
		+
		+	“A candidate ranked 50,000 can get admission in a good private college but the fees can run into crores. How many people in the country can afford that? It is just simple economics that pushes students towards pursuing medical education in other countries. They can get the degree at one-tenth the cost in some of the countries,” said Dr Lal.
		+
		+	''' Why do so many Kashmiri students go to Iran? '''
		+
		+	While affordability draws many Indian students abroad, Iran holds a unique appeal for those from the Kashmir Valley. For them, the choice is shaped not just by economics, but by cultural and historical ties.
		+
		+	“Kashmir for a very long time has been called Iran-e-Sagheer or Iran Minor,” said Professor Syed Akhtar Hussain, a Persian scholar at Jawaharlal Nehru University. “The topography of Kashmir and the culture of Kashmir are similar to that of Iran. In the old times, they always thought Kashmir was a part of Iran in a way. In the 13th century, Meer Sayyed Ahmed Ali Hamadani came to Kashmir from Iran. He brought about 200 Syeds along with him, and those people brought crafts and industry from Iran to Kashmir. They brought carpet, papier-mâché, dry fruits and saffron too. Historically, this is the link”
		+
		+	Religious affinity is another driver. “Because there is a Shia element in Kashmir, and Shia presence in Iran, there is that affinity. Iran also feels happy that it has that special space in the heart of Kashmir,” he said.
		+
		+	Most Kashmiri students pursue medical education in Tehran, while others study Islamic theology in the holy cities of Qom and Mashhad. According to Prof. Hussain, Iran has even created admission pathways tailored for Kashmiri students. “Iran gives some concessions to Kashmiri students to study there. By virtue of being Shia, they get admission very quickly and easily… for Kashmiris in Iran, it’s less expensive.”
		+
		+	This is often referred to as the “pargees quota”.
		+
		+
		+	''' What are the risks? '''
		+
		+	Though admission is relatively easier and cheaper abroad, experts warn of important caveats in medical studies abroad.
		+
		+	“There are not a lot of eligibility requirements. If the student can pay, they usually get admission. Some universities run two batches for each year to accommodate more students,” said Dr Lal. However, he warned that some foreign universities operate two tiers of medical education: one designed to produce local doctors, and another primarily to award degrees to foreigners. “In fact, after completing some of the courses meant for foreigners, the students may not be eligible to practice in the host country,” he said.
		+
		+	To address this, India’s National Medical Commission (NMC) has introduced a rule stating that students will be eligible to practise in India only if they are also eligible to practise in the country where they studied. The NMC also mandates that the medical course be 54 months long, completed at a single university, followed by a one-year internship at the same institution.
		+
		+	Dr Lal also flagged the lack of transparent information: “There are no foreign colleges or universities listed by the country’s medical education regulator that people can trust… The regulator should either provide a list of approved colleges or select, say, the top 100 colleges from a given country.”
		+
		+	''' What happens when such students return? '''
		+
		+	Even after securing their degree, foreign-trained doctors face several hurdles in India. Students from the Philippines, for instance, faced recognition issues because their courses were only 48 months long, short of the required 54.
		+
		+	Another bottleneck is the FMGE, which all foreign-trained doctors must clear. The pass rate has historically been low: 25.8% in 2024, 16.65% in 2023, and 23.35% in 2022.
		+
		+	“Even afterwards, they face challenges in getting employed. This is because their training is not as robust. Sometimes there is a lack of patients and practical training. The FMGE questions are simple, meant to test the students’ practical knowledge. And, yet, many are unable to pass the examination even after several attempts,” said Dr Lal.

	[[Category:Economy-Industry-Resources\|I IRAN- INDIA RELATIONSIRAN- INDIA RELATIONSIRAN- INDIA RELATIONS		[[Category:Economy-Industry-Resources\|I IRAN- INDIA RELATIONSIRAN- INDIA RELATIONSIRAN- INDIA RELATIONS

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 =[[Chabahar]]=
 See [[Chabahar]]
 =YEAR-WISE DEVELOPMENTS=
 =2014=

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 Amid growing bonhomie with Israel, India is hoping that Rouhani’s visit and also Modi’s own recent visit to Palestine will help dispel the notion that its West Asia policy is no longer on an even keel. For trade and investment, the two leaders recognised the need to put in place an effective banking channel.
-With the web of US sanctions tightening, Iran faces a host of challenges as it looks to an isolated port in the country's far southeast to maintain the flow of goods.
+[[Category:Economy-Industry-Resources|I IRAN- INDIA RELATIONS
+IRAN- INDIA RELATIONS]]
-The port in Chabahar, only about 100 kilometres (62 miles) from the Pakistan border and located on the Indian Ocean, is Iran's largest outside the Gulf.
+[[Category:Foreign Relations|I IRAN- INDIA RELATIONS
+IRAN- INDIA RELATIONS]]
-It is also the only Iranian port with exemptions from unilateral economic sanctions reimposed by the United States in 2018.
+[[Category:India|I IRAN- INDIA RELATIONS
+IRAN- INDIA RELATIONS]]
-That is due mainly to the pivotal role of the port, and a planned railway line, in breaking landlocked Afghanistan's dependence on Pakistan for trade with the world, especially India.
+[[Category:Iran|I IRAN- INDIA RELATIONS
+IRAN- INDIA RELATIONS]]
-Afghan trade as well as plans for a trading route by rail between central Asia and the Indian Ocean called the North-South Corridor are the main reasons the Islamic republic has invested one billion dollars in Chabahar's Shahid Beheshti port, official sources say.
-−
-"We will keep on developing this port... our rail network, road network and airport are all being developed, so that we can implement the North-South Corridor," Roads and Urban Development Minister Mohammad Eslami told AFP while visiting Chabahar for a development conference.
-−
-More than 200 hectares (almost 500 acres) of land have been reclaimed from the sea for the project and over 17.5 million cubic metres (618 million cubic feet) dredged, creating a 16.5-metre (54-foot) draught.
-−
-But more than a year since the new installations became operational in December 2017, business has yet to pick up.
-−
-The ships that officials say have docked in the past year have only loaded and unloaded 2.1 million tonnes of cargo, a far cry from the port's annual capacity of 8.5 million tonnes.
-−
-Only 20 ships have docked at the new section of the port and most of its three kilometres of waterfront remains unutilised, with new machinery and neatly lined-up cranes standing idle.
-−
-But authorities remain upbeat about the prospects for growth.
-−
-Hossein Shahdadi of the provincial ports and maritime authority said that in the first 11 months of the past Iranian year, which started on March 21, 2018, "there has been a 56 percent increase in cargo handled at the port compared with the previous year".
-−
-"We've also had a 25 percent rise in the number of ships calling at the port" on the Gulf of Oman, he said.
-−
-Arun Kumar Gupta, managing director of India Ports Global Limited which has a 10-year concession at the new port, played down the startup issues.
-−
-"Any port will have a gestation period, there will be lulls but we are very sure that traffic will pick up," Gupta told AFP.
-−
-The Indian company began work in December and has so far handled only an average of 60,000 tonnes of cargo per month.
-−
-But Gupta is counting on the port's proximity to India and Afghanistan to attract business.
-−
-Chabahar's location, however, carries its own risks as it lies in the volatile Sistan Baluchistan province where militant jihadists operate.
-−
-In December, a suicide attack on the local police headquarters killed two policemen.
-−
-During an investment conference in February, security was tight with many roads cut off and hundreds of armed security personnel deployed to protect delegates.
-−
-Apart from security concerns, US sanctions banning financial transactions with Iran make it ever harder to pay or receive payments.
-−
-Some like Afsaneh Rabiani, who runs a freight forwarding company, see Chabahar as an opportunity for "those willing to take the risk".
-−
-"I've been researching Chabahar for the past year and a half, and the infrastructure is now in place to do serious work here," she said.
-−
-As for the sanctions, Iran's roads minister said the challenge was nothing new.
-−
-"We were born with sanctions. Ever since the (1979 Islamic) revolution, we have been under sanctions and we are working on how to counter them," Eslami said, as he oversaw the unloading of a first shipment of Afghan goods lined up to be re-exported from Chabahar.

@@ Line 11: / Line 11: @@
 [[Category:Foreign Relations |I ]]
 =2014=
 ==Imposition of economic sanctions by the UNSC==
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 Following the report by the International Atomic Energy Agency regarding Iran’s noncompliance with safeguard agreements and Iran’s nuclear activities, the UNSC imposed a series of economic sanctions. The first of these sanctions were imposed in December 2006. An analysis of India’s trade with Iran shows a significant increase after these sanctions. Iran’s exports of goods to India were 1.8% of its total exports in 2000. This increased to 15.9% in 2014. In this period, Iran’s imports from India as a proportion of its total imports also increased from 1.8% to 5.1%.
 =2018=

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 =2014=
 [http://epaperbeta.timesofindia.com/Article.aspx?eid=31808&articlexml=STATOI-STICS-SANCTIONED-EXCHANGE-20072015007018 ''The Times of India''], Jul 20 2015
 [[File: India- Iran, export and import, year-wise 2000-14.jpg|India- Iran, export and import, year-wise 2000-14; Graphic courtesy: [http://epaperbeta.timesofindia.com/Article.aspx?eid=31808&articlexml=STATOI-STICS-SANCTIONED-EXCHANGE-20072015007018 ''The Times of India''], Jul 20 2015|frame|500px]]
@@ Line 63: / Line 64: @@
 Amid growing bonhomie with Israel, India is hoping that Rouhani’s visit and also Modi’s own recent visit to Palestine will help dispel the notion that its West Asia policy is no longer on an even keel. For trade and investment, the two leaders recognised the need to put in place an effective banking channel.

@@ Line 18: / Line 18: @@
 =2018=
 == Nine pacts deepen ties further==
 [https://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIDEL%2F2018%2F02%2F18&entity=Ar00507&sk=C453D812&mode=text  Nine pacts deepen Iran ties further, February 18, 2018: ''The Times of India'']