Trump-Modi Call on Strait of Hormuz Highlights India's Strategic Stake in West Asia Peace
US President Donald Trump called Prime Minister Narendra Modi on March 24, 2026, in the first such call since the outbreak of the US-Iran war — to discuss the West Asia situation with a particular focus on the Strait of Hormuz.
Modi stated that "ensuring that the Strait of Hormuz remains open, secure, and accessible is essential for the whole world" and reiterated India's support for de-escalation and the earliest restoration of peace.
The call came a day after Trump extended Washington's deadline for Iran to reopen the Strait by five days, signalling a diplomatic window.
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar also met Iran's Ambassador to India, Mohammad Fathali, as part of India's broader diplomatic engagement aimed at promoting peace.
The Trump-Modi exchange underscored India's dual interest: maintaining its traditional non-aligned stance while protecting critical energy supply lines from the Gulf.
India's Foreign Policy Doctrine: Strategic Autonomy and Multi-Alignment
India's foreign policy since independence has been grounded in the principle of strategic autonomy — the ability to pursue national interests without binding alignment to any single power bloc. Articulated first through the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), co-founded by India (Jawaharlal Nehru), Yugoslavia (Tito), and Egypt (Nasser) at the Bandung Conference (1955) and formally established at Belgrade (1961), this tradition has evolved into what current policymakers term "multi-alignment."
The Trump-Modi call and simultaneous Jaishankar-Iran Ambassador meeting perfectly illustrate multi-alignment in action — India simultaneously engages both belligerents to protect its economic interests without formally siding with either.
Strait of Hormuz: Transit Passage Rights Under International Law
The Strait of Hormuz is not merely a geographic chokepoint; it is a legally defined international strait under the UNCLOS (United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, adopted 1982, entered into force 1994). The legal regime of "transit passage" applies to all vessels and aircraft, meaning all states have the right of continuous and expeditious passage in their normal mode.
India's statement that "no special permission is needed for vessels to transit the international strait" is rooted in UNCLOS transit passage rights. This is India's legal basis for insisting that the Strait remain accessible regardless of the Iran-US conflict.
India-US Bilateral Relations: 2025 Framework
India-US relations have deepened significantly since the Civil Nuclear Agreement (2008) and the designation of India as a Major Defence Partner (2016). The bilateral framework now covers trade, defence, technology, and geopolitical coordination.
The Trump initiative to call Modi specifically about Hormuz reflects India's growing strategic weight — and US recognition that India's energy crisis has implications for broader global stability. The call fits within the broader trajectory of India-US strategic convergence.
- Trump-Modi call date: March 24, 2026 (first since outbreak of US-Iran war)
- NAM founding: Belgrade Conference, September 1961; India co-founder
- UNCLOS adopted: 1982 (Montego Bay, Jamaica); entered into force: November 16, 1994
- India ratified UNCLOS: 1995
- Strait of Hormuz normal throughput: ~20 million b/d (20% of global petroleum liquids)
- India crude import dependence: ~88% of consumption; ~63% sourced from Gulf region
- India-US bilateral trade: ~$190 billion (2023-24)
- EAM Jaishankar met Iran Ambassador Mohammad Fathali: March 24, 2026
- Major Defence Partner status granted to India by US: 2016