Two more Indian-flagged LPG tankers have safely navigated the Strait of Hormuz, ensuring continued cooking gas supply to India amidst regional conflict. These tankers are expected to reach Indian shores soon, following the successful transit of previous vessels.
The purge in Washington does not pause the war. Strikes continue, Hormuz remains closed, and Brent crude is still dancing around $109 a barrel. For India, the command chaos in the Pentagon is another layer of uncertainty piled on five weeks of conflict that was already straining every buffer Delhi has.
Despite the escalation in US military action, the War Secretary noted that Iran's missile response has declined in the last 24 hours.
In an interaction with PTI Videos in New Delhi, Iran's deputy chief of mission to India Mohammad Javad Hosseini also said Americans should "put pressure" and bring the other side back to the negotiating table.
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has briefed Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman on Pakistan's diplomatic efforts to de-escalate the situation in West Asia. This follows Pakistan's offer to host talks between the US and Iran to resolve the ongoing conflict.
Iran's Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi on Sunday issued a formal address and said that the event is a moment of profound religious and historical consequence.
Following a joint attack by the US and Israel on Iran, India is calling for restraint and de-escalation to avoid further military confrontation in the Middle East.
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.
In a Truth Social Post, Trump said, "This cannot continue. There will be either peace or there will be tragedy for Iran far greater than we have witnessed over the last eight days."
The big question is whether Trump is any longer in command of the situation. For all practical purposes, the war seems set to cascade as the US is preparing for a potential ground operation in Iran and threatens to destroy 'bridges next, then electric power plants', points out Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
The escalating conflict in West Asia has resulted in 19 ships carrying essential energy resources for India being stranded in the Strait of Hormuz, raising concerns about potential disruptions to the country's energy supply.
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.
Indian benchmark equity indices Sensex and Nifty experienced a significant crash in early trade, triggered by a sharp increase in crude oil prices and escalating tensions in the Middle East.
Hours after United States President Donald Trump's claims of an Iran-Israel ceasefire, India on Tuesday said it stands ready to play its part to resolve the situation and insisted on 'dialogue and diplomacy' as the way forward.
India is closely monitoring the situation in West Asia and working to ensure the safety of its citizens stranded in the region. Over 52,000 Indians have returned home following the partial opening of airspace.
A senior Pakistani official has affirmed Pakistan's commitment to supporting Saudi Arabia, even before assistance is explicitly requested, amidst ongoing conflict in West Asia. This pledge underscores the close ties between the two nations and Pakistan's role in regional stability.
Trump said that Iran's leadership, along with its air defence, Air Force, and Navy are 'gone'.
As days turn into weeks and America loses more planes, as the destruction of trillions of dollars worth military assets piles up, and dead bodies of soldiers return in ever greater numbers in coffins, Trump will have to answer some very difficult questions to save his presidency, notes Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
For years, these two powers operated as "frenemies" in the shadow of Iran's regional influence. The frame here is "The Enemy of My Enemy."
Alliances fight wars effectively only when they share an endgame. If Israel acted without US knowledge, then the military alliance is operating without real coordination at the level of strategic targeting. Neither picture is reassuring in a war that is no longer regional in its consequences. Prem Panicker continues his must read daily blog on the Gulf War.
Israel has for more than two decades and several US presidencies worked to draw the United States into a full-scale war with Iran. Having finally achieved that, the last thing it wants is Trump declaring victory and going home, as he is prone to do. Ali Larijani was the figure most capable of handing Trump a negotiated exit with something to show for it. Without Larijani, the road to an exit gets considerably narrower. Prem Panicker continues his must read daily blog on the Gulf War.
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan held an online meeting with Loka Kerala Sabha members in the Gulf region to discuss support for the expatriate community amidst the escalating conflict in West Asia.
Amid escalating tensions with Iran, President Trump is urging nations dependent on Middle Eastern oil to deploy warships to the Strait of Hormuz to safeguard critical global energy supplies.
Iran has not closed the Strait. It remains open; however, due to current conditions and circumstances, ships are unable to pass through the Hormuz. Otherwise, Iran never wanted the Strait to be closed or blocked, the supreme leader's representative said.
A 21-year-old Indian-American student, Savitha Shan, was among four people killed in a shooting in Austin, Texas. The incident is being investigated as a possible act of terrorism due to evidence found at the scene and the suspect's residence.
A senior government official confirms that Indian vessels do not require permission to navigate the Strait of Hormuz, despite regional tensions. Several Indian ships, including LPG tankers, have safely crossed the strait, ensuring continued supply of essential commodities to India.
Analysts predict a surge in gold and silver prices as investors seek safe-haven assets due to escalating tensions in the Middle East. The impact on domestic prices will depend on the conflict's duration, with geopolitical factors and macroeconomic data also playing a role.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has confirmed the deaths of six Indian nationals and one missing person amidst the escalating conflict in West Asia, detailing ongoing efforts for repatriation and diplomatic engagement.
The IDF noted that the strikes are being conducted in response to "relentless attacks" from Iran and its proxies since October 7, adding that Israel has the "right and the duty to respond."
Dubai's core promise -- that it is an oasis untouched by regional storms -- has been tested in full public view. The coming months will show whether investors view the attacks as a short-lived disruption or a deeper signal of lasting risk, points out Asif Ullah Khan.
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.
Oil prices rose following Biden's suggestion that United States and Israeli officials were considering a possible Israeli strike on Iranian oil facilities, as reported by the Washington Post.
Iranian missiles and drones on Tuesday night targeted two bases of the Balochi militant group Jaish al Adl in Pakistan's border town of Panjgur in Balochistan province.
At the same time, external affairs ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said it is a matter between Iran and Pakistan.
Iran has fired 280 ballistic missiles at Israel since early Friday in retaliation to Israeli strikes on its nuclear programme, its military and political officials, and nuclear scientists.
Israel's ongoing airstrikes and Iran's retaliation raised concerns about all-out war between the countries and propelled the region, already on edge, into even greater upheaval.
The aircraft, part of the US air force's 509th Bomb Wing, reportedly dropped 14 massive 30,000-pound bunker-buster bombs on two major underground uranium enrichment sites in Iran as part of Operation Midnight Hammer.
Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, on Wednesday warned Israel and said that the "Zionist regime made a grave mistake" and "will face the consequences of its actions".
Iran on Monday launched multiple missiles at US military installations in Qatar and Iraq, including the Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar -- the largest US military base in the region.
A major escalation unfolded in West Asia on Monday after Iran reportedly launched multiple missiles targeting United States military installations in Qatar and Iraq, including Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar -- the largest US military installation in the region, according to a CNN report.
