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.
Nayara Energy, a private fuel retailer in India, has increased petrol and diesel prices following a surge in global oil prices due to Middle East tensions. This move contrasts with state-owned retailers who continue to freeze prices.
India significantly increased its crude oil imports from Russia and the United Arab Emirates in June, securing supplies as the Strait of Hormuz began to reopen, with Russian barrels remaining attractive due to discounts and UAE supplies offsetting earlier uncertainties.
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.
Indian stock markets experienced a significant sell-off, with the Sensex tumbling over 1,300 points, driven by escalating crude oil prices due to US-Iran tensions and Prime Minister Narendra Modi's call for austerity measures, which amplified investor concerns about India's economic outlook.
If the conflict continues for a prolonged period, State-run oil companies may have to review retail fuel prices accordingly.
Fight on toward goals that keep receding, or exit with most objectives unmet. Trump is agitated, his poll numbers falling below the Plimsoll line, his base fractured between those who back the war and those who remember that he campaigned on ending them.
India's new manufacturing project announcements more than halved in the fourth quarter of FY26, falling 60 per cent sequentially and 78 per cent year-on-year to approximately 1.7 trillion, driven by global uncertainties, geopolitical conflicts in West Asia, and existing unutilised manufacturing capacity.
Despite Iran allowing 'non-hostile vessels' through the Strait of Hormuz, marine insurance premiums are expected to remain elevated due to persistent high-risk classifications and ongoing geopolitical tensions, with experts cautioning that the threat of attacks and collateral damage still exists.
"The world might face a food crisis if the war continued till the end of April, as it could have a dramatic impact on planting in Europe and North America," said Matt Simpson, CEO of Brazil Potash.
'The flip side of this is that he won't hesitate to call out India if he thinks its policies are hurting US economic interests or border US foreign policy goals.'
Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya is pushing for a Formula 1 race in India in 2027 by addressing tax hurdles that led to the event's departure in 2013.
Petrol diesel price today March 20, 2026: IOCL & HPCL hike premium petrol (XP95, Speed, Power) by 2/litre and industrial diesel by 22/litre. Regular petrol in Delhi 94.77, diesel 87.67 unchanged. Full city-wise rates inside.
Gwadar is viewed as a critical pearl in China's maritime strategy as it would give a permanent logistical footprint near an important choke point - the Strait of Hormuz and the oil rich Persian Gulf, explains Commodore Venugopal Menon (retd).
India has officially refuted claims that Elon Musk was involved in a recent phone call between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Donald Trump.
The US blockade on Iranian ports is aimed to curb Iranian energy exports, thereby crippling its economy to force Iran back to the negotiating table, points out Commodore Venugopal Menon (retd).
The Indian rupee is highly vulnerable among Asian currencies, with Barclays and MUFG warning of a potential depreciation towards 100/$ if the West Asia conflict persists, driven by widening current account deficits and elevated crude oil prices.
'It was diminishing even before Trump came to power.' 'The US was at the centre of the global economy. That position is going to become less and less important and less central.'
Is the current rally telegraphing a durable peace plan in West Asia, boosted by United States (US) President Donald Trump's incoherent and contradictory posts on social media?
'Even last year, when India bought gold, the physical quantity was much less than the previous years.'
'When we start describing somebody as an enemy that is the start of politics and emotion after which no business can take place.' 'We need to get out of this, allow Indian businessmen to do business with China.'
The Sri Lankan government attributes the sharp depreciation of the rupee against the US dollar to the ongoing conflict in West Asia, citing increased costs for essential imports like gas, fertiliser, and oil.
India's fiscal deficit is projected to reach 4.5 per cent of GDP for the current fiscal year, exceeding the budgeted target, as the government's policy responses to the West Asia conflict are expected to strain public finances, according to research firm BMI.
India should not stay on the margins of this initiative. There should be a serious debate about what would be in India's best interests asserts former foreign secretary Shyam Saran.
India will continue to purchase Russian oil based on commercial viability and energy security needs, irrespective of US sanctions waivers, according to a senior petroleum ministry official.
Former HDFC Bank chairman Atanu Chakraborty cites misselling of AT-1 bonds and underperformance as key reasons for his resignation, dismissing personal differences as a major factor.
Petrol and diesel prices in India have been increased by Rs 3 per litre each, marking the first rate hike in over four years. This decision follows a period of stable prices during recent state elections, despite rising global crude oil prices and significant losses for fuel retailers.
'India has initiated a bear market and we will still go lower. It has nothing to do with the economy.'
The ongoing conflict in West Asia is severely disrupting Bikaner's food exports, causing delays, rising costs, and impacting the supply of popular snacks like bhujia and papad to Gulf and European markets.
The parents of Jerin George, a native of Haripad in Kerala, have appealed to authorities to help bring their son home after he became stranded on an Iranian ship due to the conflict in West Asia.
The Indian government has waived customs duty on critical petrochemical products until June 30 to ensure supply stability and provide relief to consumers amid disruptions caused by the crisis in West Asia.
Indian benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty closed marginally lower due to profit-taking, following the Reserve Bank of India's decision to keep the repo rate unchanged while lowering its growth expectations for the current fiscal year and forecasting higher inflation.
S&P Global Ratings warns that Indian oil marketing companies like IOC, BPCL, and HPCL may face reduced profit margins due to rising crude oil prices and government pressure to maintain stable retail prices.
Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) faced a challenging fourth quarter, with its energy business experiencing significant headwinds, leading to overall muted results and prompting analysts to adjust their outlook, even as consumer segments like Jio and retail demonstrated robust growth.
US President Donald Trump on Thursday said that he has directed the country's Navy to take decisive action against any vessels attempting to lay mines in the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz amid escalating tension over the virtual control of the waterway between Tehran and Washington.
The government has sharply reduced excise duty on petrol to 3 and diesel to zero, offering major relief to consumers. Here's how the price cut will impact fuel rates and inflation.
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).
The Beijing summit may have reduced immediate diplomatic uncertainty, but it did not resolve the deeper structural contest between the United States and China. That contest appears likely to define the coming decade, notes Varun Arya.
The Congress party has called on the BJP-led government to adopt a unified national approach to restore India's role as a voice for peace, criticising the government's foreign policy and its impact on India's global standing.
'In all these years of rupee depreciation, of rising oil prices, of inflation caused by import dependence, not one leader had the courage to look the people in the eye and say: Please do this for your country.'
