Modi–Trump Call on Hormuz, Energy Security; 4 Lakh Indians Return Amid Escalating West Asia War

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on March 24 received a call from U.S. President Donald Trump as the West Asia war entered a critical phase, with both leaders holding what the government described as a “useful exchange of views” on the evolving conflict and its widening global impact, including energy disruptions and maritime insecurity. 

Image of PM NaMo; Via: Sansad TV Screengrab

Modi reiterated that “India supports de-escalation and restoration of peace at the earliest,” while underlining that “ensuring that the Strait of Hormuz remains open, secure and accessible is essential for the whole world,” positioning New Delhi firmly on the side of stabilising global trade routes and energy flows even as tensions between Washington and Tehran continue to escalate and diverge over claims of negotiations and military posturing. Both sides agreed to remain in touch as diplomatic efforts continue, reflecting India’s active engagement at the highest level with key stakeholders in the conflict.

The call came within hours of Modi’s parallel outreach to Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Disanayaka, where both leaders focused on “disruptions affecting global energy security” and reiterated the importance of “keeping shipping lines open and secure,” alongside reviewing bilateral energy cooperation and regional security initiatives, reinforcing India’s attempt to align its neighbourhood with its broader maritime and energy priorities. 

This outreach is part of a sustained diplomatic push detailed earlier by Modi in Parliament, where he said India is “in constant touch with all the Gulf countries… Iran, Israel, and the United States,” with the goal of restoring peace through “dialogue and diplomacy,” even as he acknowledged that the war has created a “serious energy crisis across the entire world” and left Indian ships and crew stranded in the Strait of Hormuz .

At the operational level, India has simultaneously intensified diplomatic and administrative coordination, with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar engaging across multiple fronts, including a “detailed telecon” with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on the conflict’s impact on the international economy and “energy security concerns,” meetings with Gulf ambassadors in New Delhi, and direct engagement with Iran’s envoy, even as India works to secure the safety of its nationals and maintain supply chains. 

Government briefings said two Indian LPG vessels have successfully crossed the Strait of Hormuz and are en route to Indian ports, while more than 4,02,000 passengers have returned from the region since the conflict began, alongside ongoing efforts to stabilise fuel supplies, curb hoarding, and maintain uninterrupted energy distribution domestically .

The developments unfold against a sharply deteriorating global backdrop, with Pakistan offering to “facilitate meaningful and conclusive talks” between the U.S. and Iran, even as Trump claimed talks were underway and Tehran denied them, underscoring deep diplomatic contradictions. 

The war has already killed more than 1,500 people in Iran, over 1,000 in Lebanon, and dozens elsewhere, displaced millions, disrupted shipping and aviation corridors, and triggered volatility in global energy markets. 

In India, the political fallout is also intensifying, with opposition leaders questioning the government’s handling of strategic autonomy, energy security, and stranded Indian vessels.

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