NEW DELHI

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday reiterated his call for dialogue to end conflicts in the Middle East, saying military means will not solve the problem.

The statement by Modi comes amid the conflict between the US, Israel and Iran.

“Both India and Finland believe in the rule of law, dialogue, and diplomacy. We agree that no issue can be resolved through military conflict alone,” Modi told reporters after holding talks with Finnish President Alexander Stubb in New Delhi.

“Whether in Ukraine or West Asia … we will continue to support every effort for an early end to conflict and peace,” Modi said, referring to conflicts in the Middle East and the war between Russia and Ukraine.

“We also agree that reform of global institutions is not only necessary but also urgent to address growing global challenges,” the Indian premier said.

Regional tensions have escalated since the US and Israel launched a large-scale attack on Iran on Saturday, killing more than 900 people, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and top military officials.

Iran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel as well as Gulf countries, which are home to US military assets.

Separately, India rejected reports that the US Navy was using Indian ports amid the conflict in the Middle East.

“Claims being made on OAN, a US based channel that Indian ports are being used by the US Navy are fake and false. We caution you against such baseless and fabricated comments,” the Ministry of External Affairs wrote on US social media company X.

On Modi’s meeting with Stubb, ministry spokesman Randhir Jaiswal said India and Finland agreed to elevate bilateral relations to a “Strategic Partnership in Digitalization and Sustainability."

Call with French president

On Thursday, Modi said he spoke to French President Emmanuel Macron.

“We discussed our shared concerns over the evolving situation in West Asia and the need for a return to dialogue and diplomacy,” Modi wrote on X.

“We will continue to engage closely and coordinate efforts towards the early restoration of peace and stability in the region,” he added.