Following earlier diplomatic outreach, India is ramping up energy security efforts in the Gulf during a two-week ceasefire in the US-Israel-Iran conflict. Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri visits Qatar on April 9-10, and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar heads to the UAE on April 11-12, to secure oil and gas supplies and evaluate conflict impacts.
New Delhi: Amid a two-week ceasefire in West Asia—ongoing since February 28 between the US-Israel and Iran—India is intensifying Gulf energy diplomacy, building on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's prior calls to regional leaders for de-escalation and protection of energy infrastructure.
External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal confirmed the visits during Thursday's briefing: "We are closely following developments in West Asia and continue engaging regional countries."
Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri is visiting Qatar April 9-10, India's top natural gas supplier. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar follows to the UAE April 11-12, the second-largest supplier, to meet leadership and review bilateral cooperation.
The conflict spiked Brent crude from $72.87 pre-war to $119.5 by March 9 (64% rise), closing at $109.27 Tuesday, dipping to $94.75 on truce news Wednesday, then $98.06 Thursday. Earlier strikes, including Iran's on Qatar's Ras Laffan facilities, disrupted supplies.
The trips aim to assess supply chains, mitigate force majeure on contracts, and ensure stability. Qatar provides India 11.19 million metric tonnes of LNG ($6.39 billion) and 4.89 million metric tonnes of LPG ($3.21 billion) annually. The GCC accounts for 35% of India's oil and 70% of gas imports.