The region is vital to New Delhi’s energy security, its foreign minister has said.
India has called for de-escalating tensions in the Middle East region through dialogue and diplomacy. The region is key to India’s energy security and includes many important suppliers of oil and gas, Foreign Minister S Jaishankar stated in the Rajya Sabha, India’s upper house of Parliament, on Monday.
He also pointed out that the government is closely monitoring the situation, given that more than 10 million Indians live and work in Gulf countries.
“We continue to believe that dialogue and diplomacy should be pursued to de-escalate the tensions,” Jaishankar said. “We are a neighboring region, and have obvious stakes that West Asia remains stable,” he added.
“There are almost one crore [10 million] Indian citizens who live and work in the Gulf nations. In Iran, too, there are a few thousand Indians who are there for study or for employment. The region is key to our energy security and includes many important suppliers of oil and gas,” the foreign minister added.
❗️’India Favours Peace and Urges Return to Dialogue and Diplomacy’ - EAM Jaishankar on West Asia Conflict
‘We advocate de-escalation, restraint and ensuring the safety of civilians, the well-being and security of the Indian community in the region is our priority,’ he added. https://t.co/2zlZ6hnUtJpic.twitter.com/s6hUAeHLz8
According to India’s Ministry of External Affairs, over 9 million Indian expatriates are in the Middle East countries, nearly 18,000 in Israel, and 10,000 people, predominantly students, in Iran.
Jaishankar was speaking in Parliament against the backdrop of criticism from the Indian opposition over New Delhi’s stance on US and Israeli actions in Iran that triggered the ongoing war.
About 50% of India’s oil supplies and 55% of our LNG are routed through the region. Tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has been heavily impacted by Iran’s threats. The region is a major trade partner for India, accounting for almost $200 billion annually, and brings significant investments into the country, Jaishankar noted.
Jaishankar highlighted that serious supply chain disruptions and climate of instability “are serious issues.”
He also noted that New Delhi is concerned about attacks on merchant shipping where Indians “often constitute a large proportion of the crews.”
India has maintained close contact with the relevant countries, including the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, Jordan, Israel and the US, the foreign minister noted. He also said that New Delhi will continue high-level conversation with Iranian leadership although such contacts “are obviously difficult at this time.”