External Affairs Ministry spokesman Randhir Jaiswal said on Wednesday that India “continues to procure oil from various sources”, keeping in mind the needs of energy security and current international markets.
Jaiswal said this during an inter-ministerial press conference on the recent developments in West Asia. “…We continue to purchase oil from various sources, taking into account the energy security needs of 1.4 billion people, the current situation in the international market, and the global situation that we have to deal with,” he said.
Read also: “It is up to India to decide but…”: What the US envoy said about Delhi’s role in efforts to end the war with Iran
Read also: After Trump’s America and Iran close the Strait of Hormuz, how will this affect India? He explained
The MEA spokesperson also said that India is in discussions with several countries regarding the Strait of Hormuz. “We are first trying to ensure that our remaining ships there return safely as well.”
Shipping traffic in the Strait of Hormuz, a major commercial waterway, has been disrupted since the beginning of the war between the United States, Israel, and Iran.
Prime Minister Modi and Donald Trump discuss conflict in West Asia
MEA also talked about the phone call made by Prime Minister Modi with US President Donald Trump, where it stated that Prime Minister Modi discussed the conflict in West Asia and bilateral relations. The Prime Minister also stressed the need to “keep the Strait of Hormuz open and safe,” the Middle East Airlines spokesman said.
The blockade imposed by Iran on the Strait of Hormuz has caused major disruption to the Indian supply chain. India imports more than 85% of its crude oil needs, making it the third largest oil importer in the world. Most of this oil comes from the Gulf region and passes through the Strait of Hormuz to reach New Delhi.
Meanwhile, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Mukesh Mangal, during the press conference, said that there were no incidents involving Indian-flagged vessels in the last 24 hours. “All Indian sailors in the Persian Gulf region are currently safe,” he said.
He also added that operations at all Indian ports are “normal, and there have been no reports of congestion.”
