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    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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