Page 3 - Middle East

Why India built crude reserves but not LPG buffers despite demand surge

India built crude reserves for energy security but LPG was never treated the same way even as demand surged. Experts explain what held back storage planning

Fourth Indian tanker reaches India after crossing Strait of Hormuz

Indian-flagged oil tanker Jag Laadki has reached Mundra port in Gujarat after sailing safely from Fujairah in the UAE, despite an attack on the terminal, taking the total number of vessels transiting the conflict-hit zone to four. The tanker, with 80,886 tonne of crude oil sourced from the UAE, departed from Fujairah Port following the incident and completed its voyage to Mundra Port on Wednesday, according to shipping sources. Jag Laadki is the second vessel from the war zone to have reached Adani group's Mundra port. Previously, LPG tanker Shivalik reached the port on Monday. Adani's Mundra port provided the safe berthing of the vessel and maritime coordination in safeguarding vital energy lifelines of India, they said. All 22 Indian seafarers onboard are reported safe. Originally, there were 28 Indian-flagged vessels in the Strait of Hormuz when the war in West Asia broke out following US-Israel attacks on Iran. Of these, 24 were on the west side of the strait and 4 on the east

Time to buy? Harini Dedhia decodes gap between stock prices & actual value

If you are an investor who believes that buying equity is being a part-owner in a business, this fall in prices demands that you look beyond the prevailing narrative

Israel keeps killing key Iranian leaders. Will it help win the war?

Israeli officials trumpeted airstrikes that killed Iran's de facto leader and the commanders of a militia notorious for suppressing protests. But "decapitation has its limits," an analyst warns

West Asia turmoil: How to navigate current mkt correction, where to invest?

Despite the sharp pullback, analysts reckon that the current weakness reflects a geopolitics-driven correction rather than a structural bear market

Israel killed Larijani to help Iranians shape their destiny: Netanyahu

Claiming to have eliminated Iran's top security official Ali Larijani, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday said that the joint US-Israeli strikes were aimed at weakening the Iranian government to give the Iranian people the chance to take their "destiny into their own hands". "This morning, we eliminated Ali Larijani...Alongside him, we also eliminated the commander of the Basij they are the gangsters' assistants who are terrorising the population in the streets of Tehran and other Iranian cities," he said in a statement. Larijani had effectively evolved as the in-charge of Iran's war management following the assassination of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei by Israel on February 28 in the opening strike of the war, which is now in its eighteenth day. There was no word from the Iranian government on the fate of Larijani, the Secretary of the country's Supreme National Security Council. "We are undermining this regime in the hope of giving the Iranian people a

Crude above $100: What it means for India's economy and energy

Crude oil above $100 a barrel threatens to widen India's CAD, stoke inflation, and strain key sectors, even as upstream firms gain and downstream players face margin pressures

Lack of alternatives, pilferage, pricing gaps strain OMCs' LPG network

A lack of effort to push alternative fuels, weak monitoring, rising demand under PMUY, and a widening gap between retail and market prices are straining India's LPG ecosystem

Can restaurants add an 'LPG crisis charge' to your bill? Law explained

As restaurants cite rising commercial LPG costs for the surcharge, here is what Indian law permits and where it draws a clear line

Mojtaba Khamenei rejects proposals to reduce tensions with US: Report

The Strait of Hormuz remains largely closed off, with US allies rebuffing US President Donald Trump's request for help to reopen the critical waterway, raising energy prices and fears of inflation

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 ...

IRGC threatens to hunt Netanyahu as Israel denies assassination rumours

The IRCS's statement comes as viral posts question Netanyahu's whereabouts and claim his latest video was AI-generated, while his office insists the Israeli prime minister is 'fine'

CBSE cancels Class 12 board exams in Middle East countries amid ongoing war

The Central Board of Secondary Education cancels Class 12 board exams scheduled between March 16 and April 10 for students in Iran, UAE, Saudi Arabia and other Gulf nations

India fast-tracks fertiliser imports amid West Asia crisis: Govt sources

India has fast-tracked fertiliser imports to safeguard supplies for the kharif sowing season as the West Asia crisis disrupts gas shipments, and shipping routes, government sources said on Saturday. India has brought forward a global tender for urea imports and ordered 13.5 lakh tonnes of fertiliser by mid-February. About 90 per cent of this order is expected to arrive by the end of March, the sources said. Urea, India's most consumed and heavily subsidised fertiliser, is produced domestically at around 30-31 million tonnes annually, with imports of 6-10 million tonnes bridging demand shortfalls. Production is heavily dependent on natural gas. India also imports phosphatic fertilisers, including Di-Ammonium Phosphate (DAP) and NPK compounds. A five-year supply contract with Saudi Arabia for 3 million tonnes of DAP remains intact with "no force majeure," the sources said. Supplies of urea, DAP and NPK from Russia and Morocco are flowing uninterrupted via the Cape of Good Hope ...

West Asia war erodes ₹30-trn investor wealth in 2 wks: Why is D-St jittery?

In just the past week, the total mcap of BSE-listed companies has fallen by about ₹15.9 trillion from ₹449.35 trillion on March 6

MOFSL upbeat on Va Tech Wabag despite Middle East tensions; sees 54% upside

Va Tech Wabag is well-positioned for sustained growth, with regular order inflows and normal project execution in the Middle East despite current escalating tensions

LPG delays, black marketing hit 57% households in the past week: Survey

The survey, conducted by LocalCircles, found that a majority of households reported difficulties in obtaining cooking gas cylinders over the past seven days

Strait of Hormuz will stay closed, used as leverage, warns Mojtaba Khamenei

In his first comments as Supreme Leader, Khamenei said the critical Strait of Hormuz would remain closed as a means of leverage and that all US bases in the region should be closed immediately

Stranded due to West Asia conflict? It may affect your tax residency status

Incorrect assessment of status and failure to fulfil tax-related obligations can have serious consequences

DHL Express Europe presses ahead with West Asia investments despite war

The Deutsche Post DHL group has announced more than 500 million euros ($577 million) in investment in the Middle East through 2030, especially in Saudi Arabia and the UAE