Kamal Davar | Conflict in Mideast Needs To End Now… Let Gandhi’s Land Take the Initiative!

Wars, historically, have never permanently solved any serious problems of mankind, and have remained instruments of mass destruction and misery wherever they occurred. Nevertheless, since the end of the Second World War in 1945, the planet has now come close to another global confrontation, with the United States and Israel intensively escalating a kinetic conflict against an old adversary, the Islamic Republic of Iran. This West Asia war follows the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war and the Israel-Gaza conflicts, besides the recent eruption between Afghanistan and Pakistan along the Durand Line, with Pakistan targeting even Afghan civilians. Many other nations in Asia and other parts of the world continue to face tensions with neighbours.

February 28, 2026 will go down in military history as the day when the US and Israel attacked Iran, launching America’s Operation Epic Fury, a massive offensive employing its air power and ballistic missiles’ arsenal.

This unnecessary and terribly devastating operation has engulfed the entire West Asian region, with Iran striking at various targets situated in Gulf Cooperation Council countries -- all Arab states which are home to US military assets. This conflict shows no signs of abating and has led to a huge energy crisis across Asia, Europe and the Middle East.

Overall, the world is in near chaos amid the current geopolitical churn: the energy environment is worsening in many nations, including India. Lakhs of innocent civilians have been displaced and hundreds of school children and patients in hospitals have been killed in cross-firing. This was completely avoidable. The Strait of Hormuz, through which around 20 per cent of the world’s oil supply passes, has been virtually closed by Iran, worsening the crisis in many countries, including India. That Iran has allowed a few oil containers containing much-needed LPG and oil bound for India to pass through the Hormuz Strait is a welcome development in these catastrophic times. To meet the current adverse energy situation, the Indian government is taking many steps to improve oil and gas supplies, including diversifying sources of purchase, releasing its reserves within the nation and taking some steps to reduce internal consumption. That a serious energy situation is on the anvil cannot be denied. After all, the situation was not one of India’s making. Overall, India imports over 85 per cent of its energy needs and the current crisis will sharply impact our fertiliser and pharmaceutical sectors as well.

Currently, the price of oil (Brent crude) has risen alarmingly to $115 per barrel from $75 per barrel three weeks back, causing economic upheavals across Asia, Europe and the Middle East. That Iran has, surprisingly, struck even oil facilities in the Gulf states has gravely aggravated the energy situation in the region. Iran rightfully claims that since the US-Israel combine are now striking at Iran’s oil and gas fields, including in its strategic Kharg Island and Pars region, it will not relent on attacking US military bases and the oil infrastructure of the Gulf states. While Iran has virtually blocked the narrow Hormuz Strait, it has been selective in letting some oil tankers through.

To the acute embarrassment of the United States, its allies like Britain, Germany, the Netherlands, Japan and Australia have refused to send any of their naval ships to escort their oil and LPG carrying tankers out of the Strait of Hormuz. It was being speculated that the US was planning to escalate military strikes to ensure the movement of oil and gas through the Strait of Hormuz. Meanwhile, in the middle of all this, President Trump unilaterally announced a five-day pause in the conflict, hoping that Tehran too may reciprocate, though Iran’s government has denied that the warring parties are holding any negotiations.

The energy war has now cascaded to alarming levels and the world is facing an energy crisis like never before. Regrettably, both Israel and Iran have begun targeting civil infrastructure and even residential areas, apart from oil and gas fields, which were being largely avoided in the early stages of this conflict.

Israel continues with its selective, intelligence-based and rather accurate elimination of Iran’s top security and governmental leadership. Apart from its Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, being killed in the early stages of the Israeli strikes, over 50 of its top leaders have been killed in the missile attacks on Tehran.

With no end in sight and the US confused about its terminal objectives and endgame in entering Israel’s war, which way the world will be able to absorb the devastating ramifications of this war remains unfathomable. The US and Israel have failed to bring about “regime change” in Tehran, at least for now, and the latter has shown amazing resilience and continues with its determined resistance against the US and Israel. The real victor of this unfortunate war might well be Russia, which will now be able to sell oil and gas to many nations at rates it can virtually dictate. The US, on the other hand, may have damaged itself in the long run.

With the world currently on the path to self-destruction, India, known worldwide as the land of Mahatma Gandhi, might have a major role to play in helping to defuse this crisis. India, as the current chair of Brics, could use that forum to host a high-level summit in New Delhi of all the nations involved in this conflict and endeavour to stop this madness before it is too late. India could play the role of a true “Vishwa Mitra” (friend of the world). Let Prime Minister Narendra Modi issue a clarion call to all stakeholders across the world, and also perhaps rope in all of India’s Opposition leaders to make it a truly national effort to save humanity.

The writer, a retired lieutenant-general, was the first head of India’s Defence Intelligence Agency, and is a strategic analyst