Sunil Dasgupta, director of UMBC’s political science program at the Universities of Shady Grove, was recently interviewed for a Q&A on the status of Iran/Indian relations in the United States Institute of Peace “The Iran Primer.”
Of the course of the interview, Dasgupta provides insight into the complex relationship between Iran and India and how it has evolved over the last three decades.
“New Delhi has had relatively close ties to Tehran since the mid-1980s, but India has recalibrated relations over the last few years as Iran became the litmus test for its ties with Washington,” Dasgupta said.
He also describes how Tehran’s controversial nuclear program has affected ties between the two countries.
“New Delhi welcomed the nuclear deal struck by Iran and the world’s six major powers in November 2013, which it hopes will eventually lead to the lifting of sanctions. India’s one concern, however, is that Iran’s return to the global oil market will cut its interest in trading oil with New Delhi in Indian rupees — on terms favorable to India,” Dasgupta said.
You can read the full Q&A on the USIP website here.
Tags: PoliticalScience
