For India, China's Indian Ocean power projection, maritime domain awareness, dual-use ports, underwater surveillance, antisubmarinewarfare, naval exercises with Pakistan, pose considerable pressure, depleted India's strategic depth and marginalises Indian role, points out Srikanth Kondapalli.
Government officials are reportedly apprehensive that the 30,000 to 40,000 US troops currently deployed within the region could serve as the primary target of the Islamic Republic in the event of an all-out war.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer contacted US President Donald Trump to express his relief following a shooting incident near the White House Correspondents Dinner. The leaders also discussed the need to restore freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.
Indian stock markets are poised for volatility this week, driven primarily by the outcomes of five state assembly elections, ongoing high crude oil prices amid West Asia tensions, and the release of Q4 corporate earnings, according to market analysts.
The US President clarified that these negotiations do not involve the new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei.
A new report from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) indicates that India has expanded its nuclear arsenal and is developing long-range weapons capable of reaching targets across China, while also maintaining focus on its rivalry with Pakistan.
An art exhibition in New Delhi showcased drawings by children killed in a school bombing in Iran, offering a poignant reminder of the human cost of conflict.
Mojtaba Khamenei, son of Iran's Supreme Leader, is reportedly recovering from injuries sustained in an attack. Reports indicate he is participating in meetings and decision-making despite his condition.
Frankly, was it really necessary in the middle of a fratricidal war for External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar to travel to Abu Dhabi for a one-on-one with the sheikh on April 12?Or, for National Security Advisor Ajit Doval to follow up on April 26? Or, for PM Narendra Modi to follow through today? There are no easy answers, notes Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
Foreign Ministers from Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Turkiye, and Egypt convened in Antalya to explore avenues for enhanced cooperation across various sectors of mutual interest, reaffirming their commitment to regional peace and stability.
India has seized three US-sanctioned oil tankers linked to Iran and increased surveillance in its maritime zone to curb illicit trade.
Qatar has halted liquefied natural gas (LNG) production after its facilities came under attack amid the ongoing West Asia conflict, disrupting supplies to India and squeezing feedstock availability for key domestic sectors.
Israel's Defence Minister Israel Katz has stated that Israel is prepared to escalate military action against Iran, pending approval from the United States. This comes as US President Donald Trump says he would not use nuclear weapons in any conflict with Iran, while also claiming the US has 'total control' over the Strait of Hormuz.
Indian stock market indices Sensex and Nifty experienced a decline in early trade due to surging crude oil prices and ongoing geopolitical uncertainty in West Asia. Foreign fund outflows further contributed to the negative sentiment.
An Iranian delegation, led by Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, concluded high-level meetings in Islamabad, delivering an 'official list of demands' to Pakistani leaders for the US and Israel. This comes as President Trump cancelled his envoys' visit to Islamabad amid ongoing efforts to facilitate peace talks between Iran and the US.
Tensions escalate as Iranian forces attack a container ship in the Strait of Hormuz after Trump announced the ceasefire extension.
One of the most uncivilised characteristics of this war has been the total disregard for international law and the laws of armed conflict, asserts Vice Admiral Biswajit Dasgupta (retd).
Iran launched retaliatory military strikes targeting Israel and American military bases across the region, including in Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Bahrain and Jordan.
Opposition parties are demanding a full Parliament discussion on the West Asia conflict, criticising the government's silence and calling for a contingency plan to protect India's energy security and citizens.
Donald Trump says several issues were settled during the final day of talks with Xi Jinping covering trade, tariffs, and diplomacy.
Over the past two decades, India has witnessed several major petrol price hikes, driven by global crude oil fluctuations, economic crises, currency depreciation and geopolitical conflicts. How did we get from Rs 34 to over Rs 100 today
Indian equity benchmark indices, Sensex and Nifty, tumbled nearly 2 per cent for the fourth consecutive session, driven by elevated crude oil prices, escalating US-Iran tensions, unabated foreign fund outflows, and a depreciating rupee.
Indian equity benchmark indices, Sensex and Nifty, tumbled nearly 2 per cent for the fourth consecutive session, driven by elevated crude oil prices, escalating US-Iran tensions, unabated foreign fund outflows, and a depreciating rupee.
Indian stock markets tumbled sharply with the Sensex falling 800 points and nearly 4 lakh crore wiped out in a single session. Here are the 6 key factors, including rupee weakness and global cues, behind the crash.
French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday announced that France and the United Kingdom will jointly lead a multinational initiative to restore free and secure navigation in the Strait of Hormuz amid uncertainty over the virtual control of the strategic waterway between the US and Iran.
Amidst escalating tensions with Iran, the US has granted India a temporary 30-day waiver to continue purchasing Russian oil, aiming to stabilise global energy markets and encourage future US oil imports by India.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi's call for citizens to make economic sacrifices in response to the West Asia conflict, calling it 'evidence of failure'. Gandhi accused Modi of shifting responsibility onto the public and being incapable of running the country.
'Even last year, when India bought gold, the physical quantity was much less than the previous years.'
India's economy registered a robust 7.7 per cent growth in the fiscal year 2025-26, an increase from 7.1 per cent in the previous year, with the January-March quarter alone seeing a 7.8 per cent expansion.
'As result, Netanyahu 'convinced' Trump to go to war with the help of overoptimistic Israeli intelligence assessments, essentially explaining to him that they only need to bomb Iran for 3-4 days, and the regime would then collapse.' 'Rather unsurprisingly, Netanyahu is ever since blaming his own intel service for the entire operation failing.'
United States President Donald Trump has welcomed the declaration from Tehran regarding the restoration of maritime access through the Strait of Hormuz.
Let us start with ourselves. If we can reduce our LPG consumption by half, the problem is solved. Reduce wastage. Alter eating styles. Diversify methods of food preparation, suggests Vice Admiral Biswajit Dasgupta (retd).
US-Iran talks in Islamabad collapsed after 21 hours, exposing deep divisions over nuclear ambitions and sanctions.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has offered India's support to bring peace to West Asia during talks with UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. Both countries signed agreements to strengthen strategic collaborations in energy and defence.
'India's security challenges are no longer confined to the Line of Control or the Line of Actual Control.'
'They also span cyber networks, economic systems, information warfare, technology ecosystems, maritime routes, and internal social cohesion.'
Karex, the Malaysian company that makes roughly one in five of the world's condoms -- about five billion a year, supplying Durex and Trojan among others -- announced this week that it is raising prices by up to 30 percent. The reason is the Strait of Hormuz.
Pakistan is set to host a quadrilateral summit of foreign ministers from Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Turkiye to discuss the ongoing conflict in West Asia and explore avenues for peace negotiations.
The Indian government has imposed a new windfall gains tax of Rs 3 per litre on petrol exports, while simultaneously reducing the levy on diesel to Rs 16.5 per litre and aviation turbine fuel (ATF) to Rs 16 per litre, effective May 16.
The 'Finalissima' match between Spain and Argentina that was scheduled to be held in Qatar has been cancelled due to the conflict in the Middle East while the South American side rejected multiple alternatives, UEFA said on Sunday.
Analysts predict India will face oil price volatility and macroeconomic effects due to the escalating Iran crisis, though the country's oil supply chain is not yet structurally insecure.
