Prem Panicker's Must Read Blog On The Gulf War.
'It will take a long time to recover from the impact of this war.'
Egypt, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey met in Islamabad in what analysts say is the formal opening of a new diplomatic formation that could reshape the post-war regional order. Their immediate goal is a ceasefire; their larger ambition is to ensure that neither Iran nor Israel emerges from this war in a dominant position. Pakistan's foreign minister then flew directly to Beijing and mooted a Chinese role as guarantor of any eventual agreement. Prem Panicker continues his must read daily blog on the Gulf War.
History is rarely decided by who has the biggest weapons, but by who has the better process. The same rule applies to investing, says Ramalingam Kalirajan.
'We are getting used to the constant alerts to take shelter, listening to sonic booms from jets flying above us, hearing news of neighbouring ports being targeted, and being the only ship in the terminal.'
Companies are already diversifying sourcing, raising prices, and reworking operating models as the disruption drags on.
This is the time for India to plan forward fully, with the goal of Atmanirbharata, and energy security. The Persian Gulf is no longer a reliable source, points out Rajeev Srinivasan.
West Asia conflict triggers sharp sell-off in Indian markets, with realty, banking and auto stocks leading losses amid energy shock fears.
The question is no longer whether the war will expand. It has. The next few days will tell us whether the war stabilises around Hormuz or whether the Strait itself becomes the trigger for a far larger rupture. What to watch for over the next 48 hours is simple: Any move by the US toward direct naval control of the Strait; any credible Iranian attempt to disrupt or mine shipping lanes and, critically, whether energy infrastructure in the Gulf continues to be targeted.If those lines are crossed in tandem, the war will no longer be containable within the region.
The United States, which entered this war in expectation of a short, sharp win along the Venezuela model, is now preparing for deeper involvement in a conflict it does not fully control, without the allies it typically relies on, against an adversary that is not behaving as expected, in a global environment that is already absorbing economic shock. Prem Panicker continues his must read daily blog on the Gulf War.
It may now be time to question the price India is paying for Israel's disregard of the serious undermining of India's energy security, asserts former foreign secretary Shyam Saran.
'Our diplomacy should have been focused on preventing war and avoiding the inevitable disruptions it would cause, posing a real risk to India's growth story,' asserts former foreign secretary Shyam Saran.
India's handling of the Iran crisis reflects a growing strain between strategic autonomy and geopolitical alignment, observes Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
'After we were alerted about the war, none of us could sleep for the next two nights while sailing through those waters.'
'India's ties with Israel have to do with defence and general technology.' 'The war changes nothing in what India and Israel hope to get from the relationship.' 'It's not as though India will get significantly more benefits from Iran if India abandons Israel at this time.'
AI reduces the time taken to find a target and launch a strike. This has led to a major increase in the pace of the conflict, with one report mentioning nearly 900 strikes launched on Iranian targets in the first 12 hours of an operation.
10 stocks from the Nifty 200 index that offer good growth potential and scope to deliver decent returns from current levels, based on brokerage estimates.
Mohanlal's highly anticipated film Drishyam 3 has been postponed from its initial April 2 release to May 21, coinciding with the actor's birthday, due to ongoing war tensions in the Gulf region and the upcoming Kerala elections.
It is time for India to step up and get Russia, China and Europe to agree to a joint appeal to all combatants. Time is of essence, tomorrow may be too late, asserts Colonel Anil A Athale, former head of the history division, ministry of defence.
16 days into the war, US forces were already running out of ground-attack missiles and Israel is about to expend its entire Arrow interceptor missiles by end March. To be sure, the Iranians are watching closely and that explains their defiant stance that 'Iran will end the war when it decides to do so and when its conditions are met', notes Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
'US and Iran have not annulled the ceasefire, and the possibility of continuing negotiations remains open.'
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will review the impact of the West Asia conflict on India's food, energy, and fuel security with senior cabinet ministers. The meeting follows previous discussions and concerns raised about global energy crises and supply chain disruptions.
Saudi Arabia and the UAE are actively pushing Trump to take the war to its bitter finish and 'erase' Iran's presence in the geopolitics of the region. Simply put, the two most powerful Sunni Arab oligarchies are on the same page as Israel. Such interference increases the risk of a breakdown in dialogue between the US and Iran, points out Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
The broader conflict in West Asia, the largest international market for Indian carriers, has forced a sharp reduction in daily flights relative to the summer schedule.
'Periods of geopolitical uncertainty often see a rise in coordinated cyber threats, disinformation campaigns, and infrastructure targeting.'
Households should moderate large discretionary expenses for the time being.
'They should prioritise essential spending. They should maintain an emergency fund covering 6 to 12 months of expenses.'
We cannot simply have a 60-65 per cent import dependency in LPG, the bulk of which comes from just one volatile region -- West Asia, points out R Jagannathan.
Elon Musk reportedly participated in a phone call between US President Donald Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to discuss the Iran crisis, raising questions about his involvement in diplomatic discussions.
The Federation of Indian Pilots, said the union has written to the DGCA raising concerns over the extension.
The threat of wars hovers over the negotiations in Oman, but the good part is that Trump called the talks to be 'very good' and Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian responded that they 'constitute a step forward', points out Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
'We thought everything will be back to normal within one month. Now it's four months and still a final solution is miles away.'
Markets face risk of a prolonged bear phase as oil shocks and geopolitical tensions test inflation, growth and investor confidence globally, points out Debashis Basu.
India is the only significant power that all parties trust, or at least do not distrust, notes former defence secretary Ajay Kumar.
The Gulf countries on Monday welcomed a peace deal reached between the US and Iran to end their conflict and called for protection of maritime routes and freedom of international navigation, including the uninterrupted flow of traffic through the Strait of Hormuz.
The Centre on Monday informed the Supreme Court that the Central Board of Secondary Examination has come up with a new policy for the evaluation of private students, who were affected by the cancellation of Class XII board examination in Gulf countries due to the recent Iran-US war.
A source familiar with US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent's thinking revealed on Saturday that the department "intends to utilise all available authorities to make Iranian assets accessible for rebuilding and repair efforts related to any future damage inflicted by Iran."
US President Donald Trump stated that Iran is eager to make a deal and predicted a sharp decline in oil prices due to abundant supply, amidst a Senate resolution to limit his war powers in Iran.
Dhanush takes on the role of a desperate bank robber in the newly released trailer for Kara, a Vignesh Raja directorial set against the tumultuous economic backdrop of the 1991 Gulf War, promising an intense action drama.
US President Donald Trump is set to visit China for talks with President Xi Jinping on trade, global issues, and the Gulf war. The visit aims to address trade frictions and other key issues, with high expectations for progress.
'In India, there is this first generation migrant, say from a small village in UP. He didn't go to the Gulf to buy a big house but make the life of his family better.' 'He may have paid 1 lakh rupees to an agent to go to the Gulf. Imagine what will happen to him and his family if he has to come back. He and his family will become poor again.' 'He went to the Gulf to come out of poverty, but this war will make his family trapped in poverty once again.'
