Page 29 - Israel Iran Conflict

India should join other middle powers to protect the global rule of law

The principal medium-term, geopolitics-related challenge that India will face is the drift of the US towards becoming an isolated and arrogant global power, or, more accurately, a global bully

US-Iran conflict puts foreign portfolio investors back in risk-off mode

Foreign portfolio investors pull out ₹58,064 crore from Indian equities this month as geopolitical tensions and rising crude prices trigger renewed risk-off sentiment

Cost asymmetry: Shift in modern warfighting an opportunity for Indian firms

The star for the Iranian side has been the Shahed-136 unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), which carries a 25-kg warhead and costs less than $30,000 to make

Sustaining stability: Fallout of Iran war must be managed sensibly

Last week, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced a ₹1 trillion economic stabilisation fund to enable India navigate such global headwinds

Iran war should accelerate shift away from fossil fuels: UN climate chief

UN climate chief says geopolitical shocks to oil and gas markets highlight urgency of accelerating the global shift to renewable energy

Dubai airport closure affects flights from Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram

Flight operations to Dubai were affected after two Emirates flights returned to Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram airports following security concerns reported at the destination airport on Monday, authorities said. Flight EK533 departed Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL) at 4.30 am with 325 people on board. En route, the aircraft was directed to turn back due to the sudden closure of Dubai International Airport, airport spokespersons said. The flight landed back at CIAL at 8.30 am, and the passengers were later disembarked, the spokesperson said. Apart from this, another Emirates flight bound for Dubai was cancelled, and both flights have been rescheduled for Tuesday, he said. Flights to other Gulf countries continued to operate from CIAL. Similarly, an Emirates flight bound for Dubai from Thiruvananthapuram returned to the airport here on Monday due to similar issues reported at the destination airport. The airport spokesperson said the Emirates TRVDXB flight returned midwa

Netanyahu posts fresh video amid social media rumours of his death

A day after releasing a video debunking conspiracy theories of his death, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday came up with yet another video 'showing he is alive'. In the 90-second video shared on his personal X account, Netanyahu is seen interacting with people in the Jerusalem Hills. "Sticking to the guidelines and winning together," he captioned the video. In the clip, Netanyahu is seen posing for photographs with two girls, both named Shir, asking a woman walking her dog about its breed, and admiring the view of Jerusalem. "How beautiful is Jerusalem. Nothing like Jerusalem," he is heard saying in the video. Netanyahu also stressed the need for people to step out for fresh air while remaining close to shelters amid the ongoing security situation. "Where is the shelter here?" he asked people, who responded, "Nearby." "That is very important," the Prime Minister emphasised. On Sunday, Netanyahu posted a video on X in which he was seen ordering coffee at a cafe

Israel ready to stop hostilities if Iran changes course: Envoy Azar

Amid the raging conflict in West Asia, Israeli Ambassador to India, Reuven Azar, on Monday said "we are ready to stop hostilities if Iran changes course", and asserted that Tel Aviv has consulted "diplomatic channels" in the last few days, including its partners the US and countries in the region. Asked about Israel's plans as the conflict entered its 17th day on Monday, Azar told reporters, "I don't think a full-fledged terrestrial invasion is on the cards." He also said that through the military action, "we've managed to degrade Iran's launching capabilities" to a large extent. "We are still hunting launchers... And the remainders of other military capabilities," the envoy said. "Right now, we are controlling the skies of Iran," Azar told reporters, adding, "They (Iran) are in dire straits." The West Asia conflict began on February 28 when the US-Israel combine conducted airstrikes on Iran. In retaliation, Iran attacked the Gulf countries hosting American military bases and cho

India has not discussed Hormuz ship transit with US bilaterally: MEA

India on Monday said it hasn't engaged in bilateral talks with the US to ensure safe transit of merchant vessels through the Strait of Hormuz. The remarks by the Ministry of External Affairs came against the backdrop of US President Donald Trump calling on several countries to send warships to keep the strategically key shipping route open. Global oil and gas prices have surged after Iran virtually blocked the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow shipping lane between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman that handles roughly 20 per cent of global oil and LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas). In a social media post, Trump hoped that China, France, Japan, South Korea, the UK and other countries affected by Iran's attempted closure of the Strait of Hormuz, will send warships to the region to keep the shipping route "safe and open". There has not been any concrete response by the leading countries. In its reaction, China called on all sides to immediately stop military operations in West Asia to help k

PhonePe defers IPO plans amid West Asia crisis, market volatility

PhonePe has temporarily deferred its IPO plans citing the West Asia conflict and volatile markets, though the company says it remains committed to pursuing a public listing in India

India has no blanket deal with Iran for Hormuz ship transit: Jaishankar

India does not have a "blanket arrangement" with Iran for transit of Indian-flagged ships through the Strait of Hormuz and "every ship movement is an individual happening", External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has said. In an interview to the Financial Times, Jaishankar said that negotiations between New Delhi and Tehran have resulted in two Indian-flagged tankers pass through the key shipping route. "I am at the moment engaged in talking to them and my talking has yielded some results," he said in the interview in Brussels. "This is ongoing. If it is yielding results for me, I would naturally continue to look at it," he added. Global oil and gas prices have surged after Iran has virtually blocked the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow shipping lane between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman that handles roughly 20 per cent of global oil and LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas). The West Asia region has been a major source of India's energy procurement. Jaishankar also denied India had given

Trump may delay China trip over Iran war, not to pressure Hormuz: Bessent

President Donald Trump may delay his China trip due to the Iran war, but Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Monday it's not to pressure Beijing on the Strait of Hormuz. Bessent said any delay to Trump's trip to Beijing would not be because of disagreements over the Iran war or efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. "If the meeting for some reason was rescheduled, it would be rescheduled because of logistics," he said. "The president wants to remain in D.C. to coordinate the war and travelling abroad at a time like this may not be optimal." Trump has suggested he may delay the much-anticipated visit to China at the end of the month as he seeks to ramp up the pressure on Beijing to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz and calm oil prices that have soared during the Iran war. In an interview Sunday with the Financial Times, Trump said China's reliance on oil from the Middle East means it ought to help with a new coalition he is trying to put together to get oil tanker traffic moving .

India warns citizens in Iran not to cross borders without embassy clearance

India on Monday asked its citizens currently in Iran not to approach or attempt to cross any land border for onward travel without prior and explicit coordination with the Indian Embassy in Tehran. In an advisory, the Indian Embassy further said that Indian nationals who attempt to leave Iran via land borders without its knowledge and guidance are highly likely to encounter serious logistical and immigration difficulties. "...All Indian nationals currently in Iran are strictly advised not to approach or attempt to cross any land border of Iran for onward travel without prior and explicit coordination with the Embassy of India," the advisory said. It said the embassy will not be in a position to provide assistance once individuals move outside Iranian territory without prior coordination. "The Embassy is in regular contact with members of the Indian community, and coordinated arrangements are being undertaken wherever necessary. Uncoordinated movement toward land borders is strongly

Iran's Araghchi says any end to US-Israeli war must be definitive

Tehran signals no immediate ceasefire while saying Strait of Hormuz remains open for neutral shipping under coordination

No fuel shortage in India, refineries running at full capacity, says govt

West Asia crisis: The government said India has adequate crude oil supplies and refineries are running at full capacity; consumers with both PNG and LPG connections have been asked to give up LPG

India evacuates over 550 nationals from Iran via Armenia: Jaishankar

India has evacuated over 550 of its nationals from Iran through Armenia, with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar thanking Yerevan on Monday for facilitating the land-border transit. New Delhi has been urging Indian nationals stuck in Iran to cross over to Armenia for subsequent travel to India in view of the escalating conflict in West Asia. "Thank the Government and the people of Armenia for facilitating the safe evacuation of over 550 Indian nationals from Iran so far," Jaishankar, currently on a visit to Brussels, said. "Appreciate their support in these challenging times," he said on social media. External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said last week that around 9,000 Indians were staying in Iran, and the government of India is assisting those who want to travel to Azerbaijan and Armenia for their subsequent return to India. "These 9,000 Indian nationals comprise students; they also comprise seafarers, some business people, some professionals, and some ...

EU considers redirecting Red Sea naval mission to protect Strait of Hormuz

The EU operation in question is Aspides, which was launched in 2024 after the Houthis attacked shipping vessels in the Red Sea

US jets hit military sites near Iran's Chabahar free trade-industrial zone

West Asia conflict: US fighter jets targeted military sites in the Koh Laki area behind Iran's Chabahar Free Zone, with loud explosions heard across the region after the strike

Crude futures rise to ₹9,171/barrel on strong global cues; Brent hits $106

On the Multi Commodity Exchange (MCX), crude oil for March delivery increased by ₹119, or 1.31 per cent, to ₹9,171 per barrel in a business turnover of 12,745 lots