Ahmadinejad

New Delhi, June 26: The victory of the hawkish Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in the Iranian presidential elections will not prompt India to curb its growing ties with Tehran.

There has been speculation that Ahmadinejad, considered a “hardliner” by Washington, might try to translate his anti-Americanism into a confrontation with the US. But Indian diplomats are unfazed by the prospect, saying that even if it comes to pass, India’s relations with both countries will stay intact.

“We have to look after our national interest. Besides, nobody is really looking at us and asking us to take sides,” a senior diplomat said.

“The terms ‘hardliner’ and ‘moderate’ are applied by Washington to leaders who either oppose or support its policies in their country and in their region,” a senior foreign ministry official said.

“There is no reason why we have to accept this view and fashion our policies towards the Iranian leaders to suit the US.”

President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh are likely to send congratulatory letters to Ahmadinejad in a day or two. South Block sources said that in both letters, Delhi will try to highlight the “continuity” in bilateral ties.

Washington and some of its allies have raised questions on the fairness of the Iranian election. The letters from the Indian leadership will try to reassure Ahmadinejad that Delhi does not question the elections and reposes faith in the process that has brought him to power.

Senior Indian officials said they are keenly watching what sort of cabinet Ahmadinejad picks, how radical the new ministers are and whether the new government will speed up a confrontation with the US.

A lot will depend on who the Iranian interlocutors are for the West and whether important figures such as the national security adviser, Rohani, will be replaced, officials said.

To start with, India has said it will not go slow on the Indo-Iranian gas pipeline. An Iranian team of officials and experts is already in Delhi and, in a fortnight, Iran deputy petroleum minister Nejad Husseinian will arrive for talks with petroleum minister Mani Shankar Aiyar.