NEW DELHI, Mar 24: In the first phone call since the US-Israel war on Iran began on February 28, the US president Donald Trump spoke to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday evening with peace, stability, and energy security remaining the key part of their conversation.
According to the US ambassador in Delhi Sergio Gor, “the two discussed the ongoing situation in the West Asia, including the importance of keeping the Strait of Hormuz open” for free movement.
“Received a call from President Trump and had a useful exchange of views on the situation in West Asia,” the Prime Minister said after the call. “India supports de-escalation and restoration of peace at the earliest. Ensuring Strait of Hormuz remains open, secure, and accessible is essential for the world. We agreed to stay in touch for efforts toward peace and stability.”
The Trump-Modi call came a day after the US President claimed “very good and productive conversations (with Tehran) regarding a total resolution of hostilities in the Middle East.” Trump said he had ordered the postponement of any planned American military strikes on Iranian power plants and/or energy infrastructure for five days to allow talks to proceed.
Specifically, energy supply from the region became a point of concern after the war crippled tankers transiting the Hormuz, a narrow passage over which Iran exerts geographic control and which is a critical chokepoint for global seaborne energy trade. Between 20 and 25 million barrels of crude oil – around 20 per cent of the world’s supply – passes through it daily.
As the world’s third largest energy consumer, its most populous country, and its fastest growing major economy, India relies heavily on Hormuz exports to meet crude oil needs, which most estimates suggest is 5.5 to six million barrels of crude daily. Pre-war, India imported around half that – 2.1 and 2.6 million barrels – from Gulf nations like Iraq, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Kuwait. Shipped via the Hormuz, this worked out to around 40 percent of crude imports of 4.8 to five million barrels per day.
But since the fighting began only a limited number of oil and gas tankers have made it past Iran’s blockade. Another set of two Indian-flagged vessels – carrying liquefied petroleum gas, or LPG – transited Tuesday, escorted by Indian warships. The two ships are carrying 92,612 tonnes of LPG, said the Ministry of Ports and Shipping said at a news briefing.
(Rohit Kumar)
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