A file photo of Indian foreign minister Salman Khurshid.
"We remain good friends with the US and we are extremely good friends with Iran," he told a conference on the Gulf nation.
"It places us in a very significant position to be able to bridge the gaps and to provide the linkages necessary for a meaningful dialogue (between the United States and Iran)," Khurshid said, according to the Press Trust of India.
Energy-hungry India has been walking a diplomatic tightrope in the past few years as it continues to pursue good ties and to import oil from Iran while deepening relations with the United States.
Khurshid's statements came a day after US President Barack Obama told Iranian leaders in his State of the Union address it was time they ended a standoff over their disputed nuclear programme.
The United States and other Western powers suspect Iran is masking the development of nuclear weapons capabilities under the guise of a programme which Tehran insists is purely for peaceful purposes.
Khurshid noted India had not accepted the "unilateral sanctions" slapped by Washington on Iran to curb its uranium enrichment programme and had gone ahead with its "regular engagement."
India, which is heavily dependent on oil from Iran and other countries to power its economy, has cut back on fuel imports from the Gulf nation.
But it has long been wary of being seen as bowing too easily to US demands and views Iran as an important counterweight to rival Pakistan in the region.
India is in a position to give Iran the kind of "comfort, advice and handholding" required in the "very, very critical and crucial discussions and dialogue that Iran needs to do", Khurshid said.
On Tuesday Obama said "the leaders of Iran must recognise that now is the time for a diplomatic solution" to the nuclear row.
Analysts have said Obama's re-election last November may give him a freer hand to pursue direct talks with Iran.
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@GhostRider Reply....@John B:..." Thr is an uncle called China.." Wish, instead you could have said..there is a country called Pakistan...................how long will you cling to coat tails of others?
@Pappoo: @GhostRider: India is the 3rd largest economy in the world's 5th powerful country in the world. 12 heads of states ( Presidents and Prime ministers ) visited India.
We Pakistanis are dealing with Talibans, Terrosist and Mullahs and it will take us a long time to get to where India is today, Do you think anyone in the world cares about us and do you know what the rest of the world think about us. Google and find out for yourself.
We are a miserable lot and cannot see other nations progress and this is the main cause for our self destruction.
@John B: Thr is an uncle called China...and you know what he is much more closer to Iran than India. India trying to squeeze in the pic becoz Pakistan have blocked all roads leading to Afghanistan while Iran has China and Russia to comfort it. The best India can do is court Bangladesh and Maldieves
But it has long been wary of being seen as bowing too easily to US demands and views Iran as an important counterweight to rival Pakistan in the region. Yeah!!! Pakistan is such a strong country that it needs to be 'counterweight'ed by India through Iran and Afghanistan with whom India had traditional trade relations even before Pakistan came in existence.... Pakistan is soooo soooo important!!
How much influence India have on Iran and US :) Silly Indian always think out of their height.
India Should first resolve issue with her neighbors which India has with all her neighbors other then Bhutan :)
@Ali Tanoli: your comment proves that pakistan is a lost case
John B is getting like Najam sethi of pakistan the inside man of foriegn affairs hahahaha
What did I say about an year ago. India is in a better position to talk to Tehran than 5+1, due to various reasons.
To bring the stand off to a meaningful discussion, India should host the next meeting. But, I doubt it will bring meaningful results without first confirming whether Tehran is converting the enriched material to oxides.
The offer would have been very productive had it been offered a year ago, and before N. Korea.
PAK should second this offer which will be good for her pipeline.