Page 5 - The Indian EYE 032026

COVER STORY MARCH 20, 2026 | The Indian Eye 5

said in the Lok Sabha. assist those who wish to leave the
“The central artery from where country and relocate others to safer
20% of the global oil flows, the Strait areas. “We’ve had some 9,000 Indi-
of Hormuz, has been closed. This is an nationals who are there in Iran,”
going to have tremendous repercus- Jaiswal said during a press briefing.
sions, particularly for us, because a “These comprise students, seafarers,
very large portion of our oil and nat- some business people, some profes-
ural gas comes through the Strait of sionals and some pilgrims,” he added.
Hormuz. The pain has just started,” Many students have already re-
he said. turned home following advisories
Gandhi argued that early signs issued earlier this year. For those
of the crisis are already visible within remaining, the Indian Embassy in
India. According to him, disruptions Tehran has begun relocating citizens
in gas supply have begun affecting from high-risk areas.
businesses and households. “We have shifted several Indian
“Restaurants are closing. There’s nationals, including students and pil-
widespread panic about LPG...This grims, who were based in Tehran to
is only the beginning,” he said. other safer locations and cities in the
The government has acknowl- Auto rickshaw drivers are seen pulling their rickshaws as they wait to refill the CNG outside a country,” Jaiswal said.
edged the broader impact of the filling station, in Jaipur, Rajasthan on Friday (ANI Photo) The embassy is also helping In-
conflict but insists that it is work- dians travel to neighboring countries
ing actively to stabilize supplies and such as Armenia and Azerbaijan,
minimize disruption for consumers. waters. External Affairs Minister S itime environment has already where they can board commercial
Speaking at a public event in New Jaishankar has held multiple discus- claimed lives. The Indian Embassy flights to return to India.
Delhi, Prime Minister Modi stressed sions with Iranian Foreign Minister in Iraq confirmed that a US-owned “We are assisting Indian nation-
that global crises inevitably affect Abbas Araghchi to address the issue. oil tanker operating near Basra was als who wish to travel to Azerbaijan
all countries but said India is taking According to the Ministry of Ex- attacked, resulting in the death of an and Armenia and from there to take
steps to mitigate the impact. “No ternal Affairs, the talks focused on Indian crew member. commercial flights to return home.
country is untouched by the impact ensuring safe maritime transit and The vessel, sailing under the We are assisting them with visas and
of this global crisis caused by war. To protecting India’s energy interests. Marshall Islands flag, had a multina- land border crossings,” he said.
a greater or lesser extent, everyone “External Affairs Minister and tional crew that included 16 Indians. The crisis has also highlighted
is affected by this crisis,” the Prime the Foreign Minister of Iran have While one crew member was killed, India’s broader geopolitical balanc-
Minister said. had three conversations in recent the remaining 15 Indian sailors were ing act. The country maintains strong
“India is also leaving no stone days. The last one discussed issues evacuated to safety. economic and energy ties with Gulf
unturned to address this crisis. Con- pertaining to the safety of shipping The Ministry of External Affairs states while also deepening strategic
tinuous efforts are underway to over- and India’s energy security,” said condemned the targeting of com- partnerships with the United States
come the obstacles in the supply MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal. mercial shipping in the region. and Israel.
chain,” he added. Following these discussions, Another pressing concern for Navigating these relationships
One immediate response from there have been indications that New Delhi is the safety of the large during an escalating regional war
the government has been to invoke Iranian authorities have allowed Indian diaspora in the region. Ap- requires careful diplomacy. Indian
the Essential Commodities Act to Indian-flagged ships to pass safely proximately 9,000 Indian nationals officials have emphasized that the
ensure the uninterrupted supply of through the Strait of Hormuz, even are currently in Iran alone, including country’s approach remains focused
domestic cooking gas. Under the di- as maritime traffic in the region re- students, professionals, seafarers and on stability and dialogue.
rective, refineries and petrochemical mains severely restricted. pilgrims. “Our Prime Minister has spoken
plants have been instructed to maxi- However, the security risks re- The Indian government has to several leaders in the Gulf after
mize the production of liquefied pe- main significant. The volatile mar- launched a coordinated effort to the conflict started,” Jaiswal said.
troleum gas and divert hydrocarbon “He stressed the need for dialogue
streams to the LPG pool. and diplomacy so that early peace
The order also prioritizes gas can return.”
allocation for domestic consumers Despite these efforts, the unfold-
and key sectors such as transporta- ing crisis underscores a fundamental
tion, fertilizer production and essen- reality for India: its economic growth
tial pipeline operations. Industrial remains closely tied to global energy
consumers are expected to receive markets and geopolitical develop-
reduced allocations to ensure house- ments in West Asia.
holds and essential services are pro- For now, New Delhi is attempt-
tected during the crisis. ing to manage the immediate fallout
The government is also relying through diplomacy, emergency plan-
on strategic petroleum reserves built ning and domestic policy measures.
over the past decade to cushion the But if the conflict deepens or contin-
impact of supply shocks. According ues for an extended period, the eco-
to the Prime Minister, India has sig- nomic and strategic consequences for
nificantly expanded its emergency oil India could become far more severe.
storage capacity. The war in West Asia may be
At the same time, the crisis has thousands of kilometres away, but its
triggered a diplomatic push to ensure Congress MLAs protest over the LPG prices outside the state Assembly at Bhararisain (Gair- shockwaves are already being felt in
that Indian shipping and oil imports sain), in Chamoli, Uttarakhand on Friday (ANI Photo) India’s energy markets, political de-
can continue safely through volatile bates and diplomatic corridors.

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