India and Iran: security, energy and multilateral ties

This article covers cooperation between India and Iran in security, defence, energy, health, information and communication technology and the environment, and their participation in multilateral meetings held in each other's country. The MEA brief of July 2026 has no section on development assistance, lines of credit or training programmes for Iran, so this article draws on the brief's description of the consultative mechanisms and on its record of official visits in each sector.

Joint Working Groups

According to the MEA brief of July 2026, India and Iran have Joint Working Groups to facilitate cooperation in various sectors of mutual interest. The brief does not name the groups or list their meetings, apart from the Joint Working Group on Chabahar Port.

Security

The consultative mechanisms listed in the brief include Security Consultations at the level of National Security Advisers and Deputy National Security Advisers. The most recent security-related visit in the brief is that of Shri Pavan Kapoor, Deputy National Security Advisor, who visited Iran from 27-29 January 2026 on a bilateral visit.

Defence

Two Iranian defence ministers visited India for multilateral meetings, according to the brief's table of incoming ministerial visits:

Brig. Gen. Amir Hatami, Defence Minister, to attend the First Indian Ocean Defence Ministers Conclave and Aeroindia 2021. The table dates this visit to 2-4 February 2022.
Brigadier General Mohammad Reza Gharaei Ashtiani, Minister for Defense and Armed Forces Logistics, from 27-28 April 2023, to attend the meeting of the SCO Defense Ministers.

Energy

The brief records several visits connected with the energy sector:

Eng. Majid Namjoo, Iran's Minister of Energy, visited India in October 2012 to attend the Global Ministerial level "International Seminar on Energy Access".
Smt. Maneka Gandhi, Minister for Women and Child Development, visited Iran from 19-21 January 2016 as Special Guest in the 10th International Energy Management Conference.
Shri Dharmendra Pradhan, Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas, visited Iran on 8-10 April 2016 on a bilateral visit.
Mr. Bijan Zangeneh, Iran's Minister of Petroleum, visited India on 11 April 2018 to attend the 16th International Energy Forum in New Delhi.

Health

Dr. Hassan Ghazizadeh Hashemi, Iran's Minister of Health and Medical Education, visited India on a bilateral visit from 12-14 December 2018.

Information and communication technology

Mr. Mohammad Jahromi, Iran's Minister for Communications and IT, visited India on 23-24 November 2017 to attend the Global Cyber Conference. Dr. Meisam Abedi, Deputy Minister of Information and Communication Technology, made a bilateral visit to India from 21-23 March 2023.

Environment

Dr. Mohammad Javad Mohammadizadeh, Vice President and Head of the Department of Environment of Iran, visited India on 11 November 2012 for the Conference of Parties (CoP) of the UN Convention on Bio-diversity in Hyderabad.

Multilateral meetings and conferences

The brief's visit tables also record visits made to attend multilateral meetings and conferences held in the other country:

Shri Pranab Mukherjee, External Affairs Minister, visited Iran on July 29-30, 2008 for the 15th NAM Ministerial Conference.
Shri S M Krishna, External Affairs Minister, visited Iran on May 15-17 2010 for the 14th G-15 Summit.
Dr. Javad Zarif, Foreign Minister of Iran, visited India on 4 December 2016 for the 6th Heart of Asia-Istanbul process Ministerial Conference in Amritsar.
Shri Dammu Ravi, Secretary (ER), visited Iran on 24 June 2024 for the 19th Asia Cooperation Dialogue Ministerial Meeting.
Mr. Kazem Gharibabadi, Deputy Foreign Minister, visited India from 11-13 May 2026 for the BRICS Sherpa Meeting.
Foreign Minister Dr. Seyyed Abbas Araghchi visited India from 14-15 May 2026 for the BRICS Foreign Minister Meeting.

Since the brief of July 2026

Later developments in India and Iran relations, from MEA publications, newest first. The article above reports the brief at its date.

Questions and answers

Do India and Iran hold security consultations?

Yes. The consultative mechanisms listed in the MEA brief include Security Consultations at the level of National Security Advisers and Deputy National Security Advisers. Deputy National Security Advisor Shri Pavan Kapoor visited Iran from 27-29 January 2026.

Which Iranian energy ministers have visited India?

Eng. Majid Namjoo, Minister of Energy, visited in October 2012, and Mr. Bijan Zangeneh, Minister of Petroleum, visited on 11 April 2018 to attend the 16th International Energy Forum in New Delhi.

Sources

This article reports what the sources state at their date and does not add facts from elsewhere. Figures, office holders and agreements may have changed since. Diplo is independent and not affiliated with any government. Suggest a correction.