The Iran issue, in effect, has turned into a diplomatic litmus test: Will India stand up for its strategic and energy interests in the region, or will it be co-opted to serve the short-term interests of its friend, the US? The US, for its part, must reconcile its Iran-related pressure on India, which is likely to continue, despite the sanctions waiver, with the imperative to build deeper defense ties with India, thereby giving strategic heft to its declared “pivot” to Asia.
伊朗事务事实上已经变成了一项外交上的石蕊试纸测试：印度究竟应该坚持其区域战略和能源利益，还是选择为其伙伴美国的短期利益服务？而美国则必须减少印度在伊朗事务上所承受的压力，因为即便移除了制裁这些压力依然会继续存在，同时也有必要与印度建立更深入的防务联系，并因此给印度这个美国口中的亚洲“枢纽”更多的权重。