External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar speaking during the 15th annual convocation ceremony at IIM Raipur in Abhanpur, Raipur. | Photo credit: ANI
Foreign Minister S Jaishankar spoke to Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani on Sunday (April 5, 2026) to discuss the conflict in West Asia and its impact on global energy supplies.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs also spoke on the phone with Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the United Arab Emirates.
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Mr Jaishankar’s phone talks with the Qatari prime minister and the UAE foreign minister came amid heightened tensions in West Asia after US President Donald Trump renewed an ultimatum to Tehran and threatened to destroy Iran’s power plants and bridges if the Strait of Hormuz was not reopened to shipping.
After the meeting with Mr. Al Nahyan, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, without giving many details, said that the developing situation in West Asia was discussed.
Global oil and gas prices rose after Iran effectively blocked the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow shipping lane between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman that handles roughly 20% of the world’s oil and LNG (liquefied natural gas).
West Asia was India’s main source of energy supply.
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 its friendly countries, including India, to pass through the waterway.
In the past few weeks, India has made diplomatic efforts aimed at ending the conflict in West Asia as quickly as possible and ensuring the unhindered flow of energy through the Strait of Hormuz.
New Delhi believes that if the blockade of the shipping lane continues, it could have serious implications for fuel and fertilizer security for many countries, including India.
Published – 6 Apr 2026 07:46 IST
