Amid the Middle East unrest sparked by US-Israel strikes on Iran and intensified by latter's retaliation, India on Tuesday said any major disruption in the Gulf, from which its trade and energy supply chains traverse, has serious consequences for the Indian economy.
People inspect a site of an Israeli airstrike in the southern suburbs of Beirut on March 3, 2026. The war launched by the United States and Israel against Iran spread across the Middle East, threatening to plunge the global economy into chaos, with Lebanon and Gulf energy exporters dragged into the conflict. (Photo by AFP) (AFP)
In a statement over the ongoing conflict in the West Asia region, the Ministry of External Affairs said India had expressed deep concern at the commencement of the conflict in Iran and the Gulf region on February 28, when the strikes were first reported.
“Even at that time, India had urged all sides to exercise restraint, avoid escalation and prioritize the safety of civilians. Unfortunately, in the holy month of Ramadan, the situation in the region has deteriorated significantly and continuously,” it stated.
“There are almost one crore Indian citizens who live and work in the Gulf region. Their safety and well-being is of utmost priority. We cannot be impervious to any development that negatively affects them. Our trade and energy supply chains also traverse this geography. Any major disruption has serious consequences for the Indian economy. As a country whose nationals are prominent in the global workforce, India is also firmly opposed to attacks on merchant shipping. Already, some Indian nationals have lost their lives or are missing as a result of such attacks in the last few days,” India said in a statement.