West Asia

With West Asia in turmoil and crude oil prices rising, the All India Distillers' Association (AIDA) has offered to supply ethanol blends exceeding 20 per cent with petrol, saying the move could proportionally reduce India's dependence on imported crude oil. In a letter to Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari, AIDA Deputy Director General Bharati Balaji said the ethanol industry was prepared to go beyond the E20 target already achieved by the country. "Now with the Middle East entangled in a war and oil prices having started increasing, we as an ethanol industry are ready to offer ethanol more than 20 per cent which will reduce proportionally the import of crude," she said in the letter. She said such a step will mitigate supply disruptions and adverse economic impact on the country. India achieved its E20 ethanol blending target -- mixing 20 per cent ethanol with petrol -- ahead of schedule in 2025, a goal set under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's administrat

This warning from Tehran comes as defence officials at the Pentagon have formulated comprehensive strategies for the potential deployment of United States ground troops into Iran

About 45 Japan-linked vessels remain affected in the strait, a critical artery for global energy supplies, Japan said, adding that the government will take responsibility for their safety

Iranian missiles struck two communities in southern Israel late Saturday, leaving buildings shattered and dozens injured in dual attacks not far from Israel's main nuclear research centre, while President Donald Trump warned the US will "obliterate" Iranian power plants if it doesn't fully open the Strait of Hormuz within 48 hours. The developments signalled the war was moving in a dangerous new direction at the start of its fourth week. Trump -- who is facing increasing pressure at home to secure the strait as oil prices soar -- issued the ultimatum in a social media post while he spent the weekend at his Florida home. Trump said he's giving Iran 48 hours to open the vital waterway or face a new round of attacks. He said the US would destroy "various POWER PLANTS, STARTING WITH THE BIGGEST ONE FIRST!" The Strait of Hormuz, which connects the Persian Gulf to the rest of the globe's oceans, is a critical pathway for the world's flow of oil. Attacks on commercial ships and threats of

Every purchasing manager index for which Bloomberg collects estimates is anticipated to show a decline when initial numbers for March are released on Tuesday

More than 1,500 people have been killed in Iran during the war, the state broadcaster said late Saturday, citing the health ministry. Residents said Iran's capital saw heavy airstrikes as they marked the end of the holy month of Ramadan. Iran targeted a joint UK-US military base in the Indian Ocean, and Iran's main nuclear enrichment site was struck again, as the war in the Middle East entered its fourth week. Iran's attack on the Diego Garcia base -- 4,000 km away -- suggested Tehran has missiles that can go farther than previously acknowledged, or that it had used its space programme for an improvised launch. The US and Israel have offered shifting rationales for the war, from hoping to foment an uprising that topples Iran's leadership to eliminating its nuclear and missile programmes and its support for armed proxies. There have been no signs of an uprising, while internet restrictions limit information from Iran. The war's effects are felt far beyond the Middle East, raising foo

Iran's Natanz nuclear facility was hit Saturday in an airstrike, the official Iranian news agency Mizan reported. There was no radiation leakage, it said. Natanz, Iran's main enrichment site, was hit in the first week of the war and several buildings appeared damaged, according to satellite images. The United Nations' nuclear watchdog said that "no radiological consequence" was expected from that earlier strike. The nuclear facility, located nearly 220 kilometers (135 miles) southeast of Tehran, had been targeted by Israeli airstrikes in the 12-day war between Iran and Israel in June 2025, and by the United States.

The ongoing war in West Asia is a matter of concern not only for India, but for the entire world and it must be resolved through dialogue and diplomacy, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on Saturday. India has clearly stated its position, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said that war will not bring a solution, he said while speaking at an event in Uttarakhand's Haldwani. "The constant attacks in West Asia are a matter of concern not only for India but for the entire world," he said, adding: "If a solution is to be found, it will come through dialogue and diplomacy." "When the world is facing conflict, no country can remain unaffected. India may also be affected, but to date, our prime minister, through his ability and wisdom has kept India from falling into a difficult situation," Singh said in Hindi. The defence minister's remarks came against the backdrop of increasing global concerns over fresh attacks on West Asian gas hubs. An Israeli attack on Iran's strategic South P

While there were no reports of damage or casualties, the significance of the episode lay less in the outcome and more in what it demonstrated

One side thinks India is punching way above its weight.The other thinks Mr Modi has undermined India, and it punches below its strength. Both are wrong

DG Shipping warns of supply shortages on stranded vessels, rising freight and insurance costs, and potential disruptions to India's trade and energy security

Prime Minister speaks to GCC leaders, flags need for safe passage through Strait of Hormuz and highlights risks to global food, fuel and fertiliser security

Israel has used its deep relationship with the United States (US) to emerge as the strongest and most advanced military power in the West Asia/Gulf region

In the 12-day war of 2025, Israel and Iran traded attacks from June 13 to June 24. There are unconfirmed reports Israel was running out of interceptors by the end, when the US brokered a ceasefire

No decision had been made to send troops into Iran itself, two of the officials told Reuters, but they will build up the capacity for potential future operations in the region

Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei said Friday that US and Israeli attacks were based on an illusion that by killing top leaders they could cause the overthrow of the government

System adds hundreds of millions of dollars to India's fuel import bill; ministry aware

Agency outlines measures such as remote work, reduced travel and public transport use to ease demand as oil prices surge amid West Asia conflict

Amid the escalating West Asia crisis, the disruption in the Strait of Hormuz is beginning to ripple through India’s real estate sector, sharply increasing construction costs, delaying supplies

That war resulted in years of chaos and instability and created a power vacuum that led to the rise of the Islamic State terrorist group