India, July 4 -- "In the heart of the earth, where rivers of fire meet, the cries of the innocent echo-no peace, no retreat." These haunting lines by poet Parniya Abbasi echo with chilling resonance today as West Asia descends into a deeper, darker phase of conflict. What began as a limited Israeli operation targeting Iranian missile and nuclear infrastructure under Operation Rising Lion has now evolved into a full-fledged regional conflagration. The theatre of war now includes Hezbollah rocket barrages from Lebanon, Iranian proxy attacks from Syria and Iraq, US airstrikes on Iranian soil, and retaliatory missiles crossing borders with grim regularity.

Amid this escalating inferno stands India, not as a distant observer, but as a nation ...