As Finland’s President Alexander Stubb urges India to mediate the U.S.-Iran conflict following his high-profile state visit, American strategists suggest President Trump should “call PM Modi” to leverage New Delhi’s unique trust with both Tehran and Washington for a ceasefire
World leaders and military strategists are increasingly viewing New Delhi as the only credible “off-ramp” for the escalating war between the United States and Iran.
Fresh off his
state visit to India (March 4–7), Finnish President Alexander Stubb has urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to leverage India’s unique position to stop the 18-day conflict from spiralling into a global catastrophe.
President Stubb, who served as the Chief Guest at the Raisina Dialogue 2026 in New Delhi, delivered a stark warning about the collapse of the Western-led world order. Speaking to a high-profile audience that included EAM S Jaishankar, Stubb praised India’s “strategic caution” and pragmatic realism.
“We need a ceasefire,” Stubb declared. “I’m wondering if India can actually get involved. We saw Foreign Minister Jaishankar call for a ceasefire to calm things down, and New Delhi has the trust of both sides,” he added.
Breaking: Finland President calls for India to broker US-Iran ceasefire
“We need a ceasefire. I’m wondering if India can actually get involved. We saw Foreign Minister Jaishankar call for a ceasefire to calm things down,” says President Alexander Stubb pic.twitter.com/analqtIeD3
— Shashank Mattoo (@MattooShashank) March 17, 2026
‘Call PM Modi’: The American view
This sentiment is finding unexpected echoes within the American establishment. Retired US
Army Colonel Douglas Macgregor, a veteran strategist, has publicly advised President Donald Trump to look toward India to exit the “escalation trap.”
In a blunt assessment of the conflict, Macgregor warned that US missile stockpiles are depleting and that a diplomatic exit is the only way to prevent a $300-per-barrel oil crisis.
“If the war needs to stop, President Trump should call PM Modi,” Macgregor suggested in a recent viral interview. “India has balanced ties with Israel, Iran, and China. Modi is someone who can speak to all parties without being seen as an aggressor,” he added.
India has so far maintained a “disciplined neutrality.” While it has deployed warships to independently escort its LPG tankers—like the
Shivalik and Nanda Devi—out of the Strait of Hormuz, it has steadfastly refused to join the US-led naval coalition.
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