Modi, UAE President Stress Hormuz Navigation; India Expands Energy Controls, Shipping Security and Evacuations

✍️ Written by Saket Suman

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday spoke with Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, and condemned attacks on the UAE while also stressing the urgent need to ensure safe navigation through the Strait of Hormuz. This comes as India has simultaneously ramped up nationwide fuel supply safeguards, intensified anti-hoarding enforcement, expanded evacuation operations and stepped up its diplomatic outreach through EAM S Jaishankar in response to the escalating Iran war and widening risks to global energy flows and Indian nationals across the Gulf.

File Photo of PM NaMo welcoming President of the UAE at the airport. 

Modi said he conveyed advance Eid greetings to the UAE leader and reiterated “India’s strong condemnation of all attacks on the UAE that have resulted in loss of innocent lives and damage to civilian infrastructure,” according to a statement. He added that both sides “agreed on the importance of ensuring safe and free navigation through the Strait of Hormuz” and would continue working together for the “early restoration of peace, security and stability in the region.”

The call comes as the Strait of Hormuz, through which roughly one-fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas supplies transit, has emerged as a central pressure point in the Iran war, with drone attacks, maritime threats, and energy infrastructure disruptions raising concerns over global supply chains.

The latest conversation builds on an earlier exchange on the first of March, when Prime Minister Modi had expressed solidarity with the UAE following missile and drone attacks linked to the expanding Iran war, conveyed condolences over civilian casualties and called for de-escalation, while also thanking Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan for ensuring the safety of the large Indian community in the Emirates.

In parallel, senior officials in India outlined an expansive domestic and international response during an inter-ministerial briefing in New Delhi, and detailed measures to secure fuel supplies, stabilize markets, and assist Indian nationals affected by the conflict across West Asia.

Officials from the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas said all refineries were operating at high capacity and maintaining adequate crude inventories, stressing that “India remains self-sufficient in petrol and diesel production and no imports are required to meet domestic demand.” Authorities also emphasized that no fuel shortages had been reported at retail outlets and urged citizens to avoid panic buying, noting that supplies were being maintained regularly.

To manage rising demand pressures linked to the Hormuz crisis, the government said domestic LPG production had been increased by about 38%, while enforcement actions against hoarding intensified, with “over 12,000 raids conducted and more than 15,000 cylinders seized” across states. Officials added that online LPG bookings had risen to about 94%, with stricter authentication systems introduced to prevent diversion.

Authorities said commercial LPG users in urban areas were being encouraged to shift to piped natural gas, while states had been asked to expedite approvals for city gas distribution pipelines. Additional kerosene allocations of 48,000 kilolitres had also been made to ease demand pressures. Sujata Sharma, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas said that the Government of India has urged States and Union Territories to grant deemed approval for pending pipeline laying proposals and approve new applications within 24 hours.

The Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways said maritime operations were being closely monitored, noting that 22 Indian-flagged vessels with 611 Indian seafarers remain in the western Persian Gulf region. Since the activation of a 24/7 control room, authorities have handled thousands of calls and facilitated the repatriation of more than 447 seafarers. Rajesh Kumar Sinha, Special Secretary at the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, said that 161 Indian sailors have been repatriated and brought back to India after signing off in the Gulf region in the last 24 hours. 

Key energy shipments were also progressing, with LPG carrier vessels Shivalik and Nanda Devi arriving at Indian ports and beginning cargo discharge to ensure continuity of supply.

During the same briefing on recent developments in West Asia, Aseem R. Mahajan, Additional Secretary (GULF), Ministry of External Affairs said that the safety, well-being and security of the Indian community across the region continue to remain government's highest priority. He informed that Ministry's dedicated control room remains operational to assist and address queries from Indian nationals and their families. 

Randhir Jaiswal, Official Spokesperson, Ministry of External Affairs, informed that around 650 Indian nationals, including students, had crossed from Iran into Armenia and Azerbaijan. He also said that the MEA control room remains fully functional, supporting the needs of all our Indian nationals. Jaiswal also said that forging a unified position within BRICS on the evolving West Asia conflict remains challenging, and noted that it is “difficult to bridge the gap between positions countries have taken,” while emphasizing that India remains committed to continued engagement with all stakeholders to build broader consensus.

India also firmly rejected reports that Iran had sought the exchange of three seized tankers — Asphalt Star, Al Jafzia and Stellar Ruby — in return for allowing safe passage of Indian-linked vessels through the Strait of Hormuz, with Jaiswal calling such claims “baseless” and stating there had been “no discussion of this nature,” while clarifying that the vessels in question were not Iranian-owned; he added that India remains in talks with Iran and other countries to secure the safe return of Indian ships still in the region, even as LPG carriers Nanda Devi and Shivalik have successfully reached Indian ports after transiting Hormuz, with 22 Indian-flagged vessels and 611 seafarers continuing to operate in the Persian Gulf amid ongoing disruptions.

Meanwhile Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW), Sarbananda Sonowal interacted with the crew of Indian-flagged LPG carriers Shivalik and Nanda Devi, and praised their “exceptional courage” after the vessels remained for nearly two weeks in a high-risk zone before safely transiting the Strait of Hormuz and delivering critical cargo to ports at Mundra and Kandla. The minister called the seafarers “unsung heroes of global trade” whose efforts ensured continuity of energy supplies, even as authorities continue close monitoring of maritime operations and prioritise LPG vessel handling to maintain supply stability amid the ongoing West Asia crisis.

On the broader diplomatic front, EAM Jaishankar concluded consultations in Brussels with the European Union, where he emphasized that finalizing the India-EU Free Trade Agreement represented a “turning point” in bilateral ties and will help strengthen supply chain resilience in an increasingly uncertain global environment.

Jaishankar said discussions with EU leaders and foreign ministers also focused on the West Asia conflict and its implications for energy security, underscoring the need for dialogue and diplomacy. He added that in a “multipolar world,” India-EU cooperation would act as a factor of “stability and resilience.”

During his Brussels visit, Jaishankar met senior European Union leaders including António Costa, Ursula von der Leyen and Kaja Kallas, and held bilateral talks with foreign ministers Maxime Prévot (Belgium), Johann Wadephul (Germany), Tom Berendsen (Netherlands), Giorgos Gerapetritis (Greece), Juraj Blanár (Slovakia) and Constantinos Kombos (Cyprus). These talks focused on advancing India–EU cooperation in trade, technology, defence and connectivity, alongside discussions on the West Asia conflict and its implications for energy security and global stability.

The Ministry of External Affairs has repeatedly stated since the war began that the safety of Indian nationals remained a top priority, with around 2,44,000 passengers having returned to India from the region since February 28. More than 700 Indians have crossed from Iran into Armenia and Azerbaijan, while evacuation efforts continue through multiple transit routes as airspace disruptions persist across parts of the Gulf.

Officials have confirmed that Indian missions across the region are operating round-the-clock, maintaining contact with community networks and local authorities to assist stranded nationals, seafarers, and pilgrims.

As IndianRepublic.in has been reporting, the Iran war has evolved into a multi-domain conflict that is reshaping global energy flows, maritime security, and supply chains, with the Strait of Hormuz emerging as the critical geopolitical fault line linking regional military escalation to worldwide economic risk.

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(Saket Suman is Editor at IndianRepublic.in, and the author of The Psychology of a Patriot.)