'Can't Rule Out Possibility': Rajnath Singh Says India May 'Play Its Role' In Hormuz Diplomacy

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday said India has consistently maintained a balanced diplomatic approach under Prime Minister Narendra Modi in resolving global conflict, including the West Asia crisis.

Addressing an Indian community event held at the Indian Embassy in Berlin, Singh said India has made efforts toward peace but stressed that outcomes depend on timing and global conditions.

“India has tried… But everything has its time. It is possible that tomorrow, the time may come when India plays its role in this and achieves success as well. We cannot rule out this possibility. The Prime Minister has appealed to both sides to end the war. Our Prime Minister has a very balanced approach to diplomatic matters,” the Defence Minister said.

Stating that the Prime Minister has personally engaged with leaders of countries involved in major conflicts, Singh said, “When he (PM Modi) met Russian President Putin and the Ukrainian President, he discussed this. Even when he met Trump, he also discussed and said that a solution should be found,” he added.

Further highlighting India’s positioning in the global geopolitics, Singh appreciated India’s diplomacy, which, according to him, helped Indian ships to pass through the Strait of Hormuz.

“The way India is moving, you must have seen that in the Strait of Hormuz, no ship from any country was able to pass through. If anyone managed to pass through their 7-8 ships, then it was India… It is not that the US considers India as its enemy, or Iran considers India as its enemy. No, this is a very balanced approach of India, ” he added.

Earlier, the Defence Minister said while addressing the gathering, “This marks my very first visit to Germany. I am here on the invitation of the German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius. I believe that this is an achievement in itself; the relations between India and Germany have gradually become stronger with time.”