The Iran nuclear deal clinched after 18 months of torturous negotiations earlier this month can be viewed many different perspectives. One is of course that the unrelenting hostility between the United States and Iran over the past 35 years, is set to mellow down if not completely disappear. That in itself will change many an equation in West Asia.
The second and more tangible outcome is that the agreement limits Iran’s nuclear ambition, although countries like Saudi Arabia and Israel would have liked a complete cap on the Iranian attempt to make a bomb.
However, viewed purely from India’s perspective, the deal is a win-win for both Tehran and New Delhi. Lifting of the sanctions against Iran in the wake of the agreement will allow India to re-engage with Tehran.
India must now look to import LNG and oil from Iran in a much larger quantity since the international pressure not to deal with Iran has now eased. In fact, it will not be a surprise if talks on the oil and gas pipeline from Iran to India get revived again.