Iran threatens to expand war to Indian Ocean if US attacks again: Why this matters for India

An Iranian warning that the ongoing Middle East war could spread to the Indian Ocean has brought the conflict closer to India's maritime neighbourhood, with Tehran saying the front could expand further if the US or Israel launches another attack.

Yahya Rahim Safavi, an adviser to Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, said on Thursday that the conflict could move beyond the Persian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz and Red Sea and reach the Indian Ocean "and perhaps beyond". His remarks were released in a video by Iran's Fars news agency.

The warning is important for India because the Indian Ocean is a major maritime corridor connecting the country with West Asia, Africa and Europe. Any further expansion of the conflict could put additional pressure on shipping routes and energy supplies, although Safavi did not specify what targets or areas in the Indian Ocean could be involved.

Iran's warning comes after conflict spreads towards Red Sea

The Iranian adviser pointed to the widening geography of the conflict, which has already moved from the Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz towards the Red Sea.

The Red Sea is connected to the Mediterranean through the Suez Canal and is linked to the Indian Ocean through the Bab al-Mandab Strait. The strategic waterway has become another flashpoint as fighting involving Yemen's Houthis intensifies.

Iran has provided military support to the Houthis but has denied direct involvement in the Yemen conflict.

At the same time, Tehran has maintained its restrictions around the Strait of Hormuz following US-Israeli strikes that triggered the current conflict. Iran and the US have since been locked in a confrontation over the strategically important waterway.

Why the Indian Ocean reference matters

The latest statement is different from earlier Iranian warnings because Safavi explicitly named the Indian Ocean as a possible new theatre of the conflict.

The ocean is also home to the strategic US-British military base at Diego Garcia, located thousands of kilometres from Iran.

For India, the biggest concern is the potential impact on maritime trade and energy routes if the conflict expands further east.

The Strait of Hormuz is a critical route for global energy shipments, while the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandab are important links between Asian and European shipping routes. Prolonged disruption in these areas can affect shipping times and costs.

A move towards the Indian Ocean would place another major maritime region under the shadow of the conflict. However, Iran has not said that India would be targeted, and Safavi's statement did not identify specific commercial routes, military facilities or countries that could be affected.

The warning comes as diplomatic efforts continue. Iranian and US officials held indirect talks in New York this week on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, with Tehran pushing conditions including sanctions relief and the release of frozen Iranian assets as part of any effort to end the war.

With AFP inputs