For Your kingdom is not built by swords, But by LOVE.

The National Council of Churches in India (NCCI), representing 19 million of Christians across the breadth of our nation, stands in deep solidarity with all people caught in the rising tide of conflict in West Asia. With sorrowful hearts and prayerful spirits, we raise our collective voice to call for an immediate end to hostilities, the protection of innocent civilian lives, and a return to the path of dialogue, diplomacy, and lasting peace.

We are profoundly troubled by the escalation of military actions and the rhetoric of war that endangers not only the peoples of Iran and the neighboring countries, but the stability of the entire Middle East and the broader world community. War brings immeasurable suffering — to the mother who mourns her child, to the family displaced and stripped of home, to the wounded soldier, and to the generations who inherit trauma and ruins.

As followers of the Prince of Peace, we are called to be peacemakers — not in naivety, but in the courageous belief that human dignity, justice, and reconciliation must triumph over the instruments of violence and domination. The Gospel compels us to speak when silence becomes complicity.

We therefore urgently call upon:

The Government of the United States of America and Isreal to renounce military escalation and pursue meaningful diplomatic engagement with Iran and regional partners, honouring international law and the sovereignty of nations.

The Government of Iran to equally commit to de-escalation, transparency, and good-faith negotiations that address  it’s legitimate Sovereignty and the security concerns of all parties without threatening regional neighbours.

The United Nations and the international community to act with urgency — facilitating ceasefire negotiations, providing humanitarian assistance to affected civilian populations, and holding all parties accountable under international humanitarian law.

The Government of India to use its position as a respected voice in global affairs to advocate actively for peace, mediate dialogue where possible, and protect the Indian diaspora in affected regions.

We also call upon our member churches, Christians throughout India, and all people of goodwill to stand in prayer, to raise their voices in their communities, and to advocate tirelessly for peace. The world does not need more weapons; it needs more bridges, more tables of negotiation, and more hearts turned toward one another in the spirit of shared humanity.

A PRAYER FOR PEACE

O God of all nations and peoples, God of promise, the God who hears the cry of the afflicted, We come before You with heavy hearts.

We grieve the drumbeats of war that echo across the earth, The missiles launched and lives shattered, The mothers weeping, the children fleeing, The ancient cities trembling under the shadow of destruction.

Lord, we confess that we have often chosen power over peace, Pride over humility, fear over faith. Forgive us — nations and people alike — For the arrogance that leads us to war.

We pray for the people of Iran — For every family that trembles tonight, For every young person who does not want war, For every voice of reason silenced by the machinery of conflict. Surround them with Your mercy and protection.

We pray for the people of the United States and Israel  — For wisdom to be granted to those in power, For the courage to choose diplomacy over destruction, For a nation to remember that greatness is not measured in firepower, But in justice, compassion, and the pursuit of peace.

We pray for leaders on every side — Soften the hardened heart, O God. Grant them the grace to see the face of the Other Not as enemy, but as neighbour, as child of God, As one who also bleeds, who also longs for home and safety.

Raise up peacemakers, O Lord — In the halls of power and in the streets, In the churches and mosques, in the schools and homes. Let the voices calling for peace be louder Than the voices calling for war.

We pray for India — our beloved land — That she may be a voice of wisdom and reconciliation, A bridge between peoples, faithful to her heritage of Ahimsa, And to the Gospel of peace entrusted to Your Church.

O Prince of Peace, You who stilled the storm, Still this storm. You who wept over Jerusalem, Weep with us, and then — rise in us, To do the work of peace.

For Your kingdom is not built by swords, But by love — suffering love, reconciling love, Love that lays down its life for the other. May that love — Your love — prevail.  Amen.

National Council of Churhces in India