India has again called for a return to diplomacy to resolve the crisis stemming from the war in West Asia.
Foreign Minister Vikram Misri represented the country on April 2 at a meeting of more than 60 countries hosted in the United Kingdom that focused on securing global shipping lanes through the volatile Strait of Hormuz.
While Misri highlighted the impact of the crisis on India’s energy security in his remarks, he also pointed out that India remains “the only country to have lost sailors in attacks on merchant shipping in the Persian Gulf,” the Ministry of External Affairs said.
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Misri, who joined the talks virtually, expressed New Delhi’s stance on the security of international sea lanes in the region amid Iran’s partial blockade of the strategic waterway, which has severely disrupted global oil and gas supplies.
In his speech at the meeting, the Foreign Minister drew attention to the importance of the principles of freedom of navigation and undisturbed transit through international waterways, the so-called Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MEA) said in a statement.
He chaired the meeting British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper on Thursday afternoon together with representatives of France, Germany, Italy, Canada and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The US did not participate in the negotiations.
The statement said Misri highlighted the impact of the crisis on India’s energy security and the fact that it remains “the only country to have lost sailors in attacks on merchant ships in the Persian Gulf”.
“He also emphasized that the way out of the crisis lies in de-escalation and a return to the path of diplomacy and dialogue among all parties involved,” the MEA said in a brief statement.
Global oil and gas prices surged after Iran effectively blocked the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow shipping lane between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman that handles about 20 percent of the world’s oil and LNG (liquefied natural gas). West Asia was India’s main source of energy supply.
“As far as India is concerned, you know very well that we stand for free and open commercial traffic and for maritime security in accordance with international law,” MEA spokesman Randhir Jaiswal said at his weekly media briefing on Thursday.
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“We continue to call for ensuring safe and free navigation through the Strait of Hormuz as a matter of priority,” he said.
Jaiswal said the UK had invited several countries, including India, to talks on the Strait of Hormuz and Misri had attended them.
“We are in contact with Iran and other countries to see how we can best ensure smooth and safe transit for our ships that carry products including LPG and LNG,” he said.
A spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs said that Delhi is closely monitoring all developments related to the conflict in West Asia.
33 days to war in West Asia
It has been more than a month since the war in West Asia began with joint US-Israeli attacks on Iran. Tensions escalated following the killing of Iran’s 86-year-old Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in military strikes on February 28.
In retaliation, Iran targeted Israeli and US assets in several Gulf countries, causing further disruption to the waterway and affecting international energy markets as well as global economic stability and disrupting trade routes through the Strait of Hormuz.
Concerns are growing globally about the disruption of commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, and many leading powers are pushing for the waterway to be fully reopened.
Iran has allowed ships from friendly countries to pass through the waterway.
In the last few weeks, India has made diplomatic efforts to end the war in West Asia as soon as possible and ensure the unhindered flow of energy through the Strait of Hormuz.
We continue to call for safe and free passage through the Strait of Hormuz as a matter of priority.
New Delhi believes that if the blockade of the shipping lane continues, it could have serious consequences for the security of fuel and fertilizer supplies for many countries, including India.
