India urged immediate de-escalation and diplomatic dialogue in the Middle East during a UN Security Council debate. Permanent Representative P Harish highlighted the safety of approximately 10 million Indians living in Gulf countries, stressing that regional instability directly affects their livelihoods, India’s economic interests and its commitment to lasting peace.
India has a significant and direct interest in maintaining security and stability in the Middle East, P Harish, India’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, said during an open debate at the UN Security Council (UNSC).
In a statement issued in Mumbai on October 16, the Permanent Mission of India to the UN in New York said Harish had highlighted that approximately 10 million Indian nationals reside in countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). Any unrest or conflict in the region, therefore, directly affects their lives and livelihoods.
India calls for restraint and dialogue
Expressing deep concern over continuing tensions, India urged all parties to exercise utmost restraint, immediately de-escalate hostilities and return to dialogue and diplomacy to resolve long-standing disputes peacefully.
India also emphasised that “true peace does not simply mean the absence of war or shelling, but the creation of a secure environment where lasting stability prevails”.