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India on April 18 moved to reinforce its economic and strategic preparedness amid the ongoing West Asia war, with a high-level ministerial group led by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh reviewing the volatile ground situation and outlining a calibrated response spanning energy security, trade continuity, fertiliser supply and diaspora protection. Meeting in New Delhi for the fourth time since the conflict began, the Informal Group of Ministers (IGoM) assessed both immediate risks and long-term contingencies, with Singh describing the situation as “uncertain and volatile” and stressing that India must be ready “not only for de-escalation but also for any renewed escalation,” while asserting that the government is taking “swift and effective action to mitigate any potential risks or problems.” Image Via: @rajnathsingh on X At the core of the government’s strategy is insulating India’s economy from disruptions linked to the Strait of Hormuz, a critical energy chokepoint. Officials told ...

The Government of India has intensified a nationwide, multi-sector response to the ongoing West Asia conflict, ensuring continuity in energy supply, maritime operations and citizen evacuation even as disruptions around the Strait of Hormuz continue to test global supply chains.  Image Via:  @globaldail y on X In an official update issued on April 18 , authorities detailed coordinated interventions spanning fuel distribution, shipping safety, logistics management and support for Indian nationals abroad, with ministries working in tandem to stabilise essential services and prevent panic-driven disruptions. The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas said uninterrupted availability of petrol, diesel and LPG is being maintained, with “100% supply” ensured for domestic LPG, PNG and CNG transport sectors, even as the government urged citizens to avoid panic buying and rely on official advisories.  To ease pressure on demand, alternate fuels such as kerosene and coal have been de...

India on Saturday lodged a formal protest with Iran after two India-flagged ships came under fire while transiting the Strait of Hormuz , prompting New Delhi to summon Iran’s ambassador and demand immediate restoration of safe passage for Indian-bound vessels through the critical waterway. Image Via: @Iran on X  According to an official statement , Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri conveyed “deep concern at the shooting incident… involving two Indian-flagged ships in the Strait of Hormuz,” underscoring that India attaches high importance to “the safety of merchant shipping and mariners.”  He recalled that Iran had earlier facilitated safe transit for India-bound vessels and urged Tehran “to resume at the earliest the process of facilitating India-bound ships across the Strait.” The Iranian envoy, Mohammad Fathali, was called in by the Ministry of External Affairs and “undertook to convey these views to the Iranian authorities,” the statement said, indicating diplomatic engagemen...

India’s Navy reviewed its operational readiness and strategic posture amid the ongoing West Asia conflict at the first edition of the Naval Commanders’ Conference 2026, held from April 14 to 17 in New Delhi, with top military leadership flagging a more complex and contested maritime security environment. First day of Indian Navy's Commanders' Conference 2026; Via: Indian Navy The four-day, apex-level conference at Nausena Bhawan brought together senior naval commanders to assess “operational and materiel preparedness, infrastructure, logistics, and human resource initiatives,” alongside a detailed review of the prevailing operational environment shaped by the conflict in West Asia. In his inaugural address, the Chief of the Naval Staff said the evolving geostrategic landscape is marked by “concurrent conflicts, a weakening rules-based order, and increased threats posed by non-state actors,” warning that these trends are converging to create a “highly contested operational space...

The Indian government on Friday expanded support for exporters hit by the ongoing West Asia conflict by widening the scope of its RELIEF scheme, even as it detailed broader domestic stabilisation measures across energy, logistics and citizen safety amid continued disruption in the Gulf region. File Photo: DD India Screengrab The government said Egypt and Jordan have been added to the list of eligible destinations under RELIEF — Resilience & Logistics Intervention for Export Facilitation — a time-bound initiative launched on March 19 to support exporters facing “extraordinary freight escalation, heightened insurance premia and war-related export risks” linked to disruptions in the West Asia maritime corridor. The scheme, implemented through the Export Credit Guarantee Corporation (ECGC), provides insurance support, reimbursement assistance and facilitation for shipments already undertaken as well as future exports. Officials clarified that exporters obtaining a fresh ECGC Whole Turn...

Iran on Friday said it had fully reopened the Strait of Hormuz to commercial shipping, but U.S. President Donald Trump insisted that the American naval blockade targeting Iranian vessels and ports would remain in place until a broader agreement with Tehran is reached, including on its nuclear program, underscoring continued tensions despite signs of de-escalation. Representational Image: AF Post Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi announced on X that the strategic waterway — through which roughly 20% of global oil supplies transit — was “now fully open to commercial vessels,” signalling a partial stabilisation in maritime flows as a 10-day truce between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah group in Lebanon appeared to hold. Trump initially welcomed the reopening, stating the strait was “fully open and ready for full passage,” but within minutes clarified that U.S. policy would not change, declaring that the naval blockade would remain “in full force” and continue “UNTIL SUCH TIME...

The Indian government has detailed an expansive, multi-sector response to the ongoing West Asia conflict , combining energy stabilisation, MSME support, maritime safeguards and sustained diplomatic outreach, as the government sought to cushion domestic impact while navigating escalating global disruptions. Image: PIB Screengrab Via: @Indsamachar on X At the most recent inter-ministerial briefing in New Delhi on Wednesday, officials said the government remains “committed to ensuring adequate support to MSMEs through coordinated policy measures,” highlighting that more than 5.27 lakh credit guarantees worth ₹92,000 crore were approved in February–March alone, alongside a sharp expansion in collateral-free lending limits and continued growth in credit flow to the sector. The briefing underscored that energy supply remains a central priority amid disruptions linked to the Strait of Hormuz, with authorities maintaining that “100% supply is being made to Domestic LPG, Domestic PNG and ...

Hopes for fresh negotiations and U.S.–Iran talks have risen once again on Wednesday even as the United States tightened its military blockade of Iranian ports and Tehran warned of wider retaliation across the region, underscoring the fragile overlap between diplomacy and escalation in the ongoing war. File Photo: AF Post U.S. President Donald Trump said a second round of talks could take place “over the next two days,” indicating that discussions may again be held in Islamabad as backchannel efforts continue. He also described the war as “very close to over” in remarks from an interview scheduled to air Wednesday, repeating earlier assertions of imminent resolution despite continued hostilities on the ground. At the multilateral level, U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres said it was “highly probable” that talks would resume, citing recent discussions with Pakistan’s foreign minister, as Islamabad intensifies its mediation push. Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is expected t...

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said he received a call from U.S. President Donald Trump during which both leaders reviewed bilateral cooperation and discussed the escalating West Asia conflict, with a shared emphasis on keeping the Strait of Hormuz “open and secure” amid mounting global energy and trade disruptions. File Photo via: Henxist on X In a post on X, Modi said, “Received a call from my friend President Donald Trump. We reviewed the substantial progress achieved in our bilateral cooperation in various sectors,” adding that both sides “are committed to further strengthening our Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership in all areas.”  He said they “also discussed the situation in West Asia and stressed the importance of keeping the Strait of Hormuz open and secure,” underscoring the waterway’s centrality to global economic stability. The conversation comes as India intensifies parallel domestic and external measures to manage the cascading impact of the co...