That third piece is an absolute must-read, thanks for drawing our attention to it S-P. As you and I were discussing today, the problem is that India defines all its FP relations by two touchstones: Pakistan and China. Thus Iran is seen as India's potential balancer to China's influence in Pakistan.

For example, just as China has its ill-used damp-squib of a port at Gwadar, India has it's counterpart in Iran at Chah Bahar - which is rather better funded and is the premier connection into Afghanistan noawadays, making Herat perhaps the most prosperous and safest city in that country. There are plans to run a gas pipeline from Chah Bahar to India and others to export millions of tons of iron ore from Afghanistan via the railway that is to link Herat and the port.

Indian strategic thinkers like Vikram Sood understand very well that China is india's primary economic and possible future geopolitical rival. It also understands that geoploitical power comes from strong maritime trade and force projection capabilities. Given Iran's location and its potential as a counterweight to China/Pakistan co-operation, I feel the US will have its work cut out convincing India to cut its own throat in America's interest.

regards, Steve