West Asia And The Gulf

China starts first regular container service through Arctic: Why it matters

The service, officially called the China-Europe Arctic Express and branded by the Chinese carrier as the 'Ice Silk Road', will sail along Russia's Northern Sea Route

Iran says Qatar holds 3 missing pilots as Hormuz attack raises tensions

The United Arab Emirates accused Iran of attacking a vessel in the Strait of Hormuz, while the Iran-backed Houthis struck a Red Sea port in Yemen. In Southern Lebanon, nine people were killed in Israeli airstrikes, some of the deadliest since a shaky truce between Israel and Hezbollah went into effect on June 20. Here's a look at the latest developments in the Iran war and the wider Middle East. Full coverage can be found here. A vessel is attacked in the Strait of Hormuz ---------------------------------------------- A tanker owned by Abu Dhabi's state-owned oil and gas company ADNOC was attacked while transiting through the Strait of Hormuz, Emirati state-run WAM news agency said Saturday. The attack happened Friday evening, and there were no injuries, the agency reported. This is the third such attack on vessels operated by ADNOC in the critical waterway in the last week. In a statement on Saturday, the United Arab Emirates blamed Iran for the attack and called on it to stop

Iran, Oman edge closer to Hormuz shipping routes deal as war continues

The move follows a series of attacks in Hormuz, through which a fifth of the world's oil and gas transited before the war

Iran says Hormuz reopening depends on US accepting its conditions

A US official on ​Friday reported progress between Iran and Oman that could soon reopen the ​Strait of Hormuz

India repatriated 4,048 seafarers from Gulf amid West Asia crisis: Sonowal

The government is committed to ensuring the safety of every Indian seafarer and has repatriated 4,048 seafarers from the Gulf region following the West Asia crisis, Union shipping minister Sarbananda Sonowal said on Saturday. Addressing stakeholders at a discussion on the 'Seafarer Security, Safety and Welfare' here, Sonowal also expressed confidence that India would soon become the world's largest supplier of seafarers. The discussion was part of an event to launch an integrated e-governance and digital maritime services platform E-Samudra, hosted by the Directorate General of Maritime Administration (DGMA). "Our main objective is to ensure the safety of each and every Indian seafarer deployed on ships globally. We have so far repatriated more than 4,048 seafarers. They have been brought back safely, and we have extended help to their families as well," the Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways told the media. According to the ministry, DGMA monitored more than 16,000 calls,

16 Indians killed in West Asia conflict this year, govt tells Parliament

Since the outbreak of the conflict in the Middle East this year, 16 Indian nationals, including 10 seafarers, have lost their lives in the region, the government informed Parliament on Thursday. Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh said this in response to a query from CPI(M) MP John Brittas in the Rajya Sabha. The Ministry of External Affairs was asked the number of Indian seafarers and other Indian nationals killed, injured, stranded or evacuated due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. "Since the outbreak of the conflict in the Middle East in 2026, 16 Indian nationals including 10 seafarers have lost their lives in the Middle East (one in Saudi Arabia; two in Kuwait; eight in Oman; one in Iraq; and four in UAE), and 75 Indians have been injured (32 in UAE; 24 in Oman; four in Qatar; 13 in Kuwait; one in Saudi Arabia; and one in Israel)," Singh said. In a separate accident not related to attacks, 12 Indian nationals lost their lives in Ras Laffan gas

India condemns attack on Cyprus-flagged vessel; 1 Indian seafarer missing

India condemned the attack on GFS Galaxy as deeply worrisome and said its embassy in Oman was coordinating with local authorities in the search operation

Iran hits US military targets in Gulf, lays slain leader to rest

Iran struck US military targets in Gulf states after fresh American airstrikes, while Tehran pursued diplomacy with Oman and Türkiye to prevent wider regional escalation

West Asia crisis caused ₹74,781 cr loss on fuel sales for oil firms: Puri

Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said rising crude prices during the West Asia conflict led to ₹74,781 crore in losses for state-run OMCs till June 30

Israel, Lebanon reach framework deal to end conflict, advance peace talks

Israel will maintain a "security zone" along the boundaries of the yellow line, which marks a seized territory that stretches some 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) into Lebanon from the Israeli border

Rubio hails US-Gulf Arab unity despite region's concerns about Iran deal

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Thursday that relations between the United States and its Gulf Arab partners are rock solid, despite fears by some of them that they might be left out of discussions aimed at ending the war with Iran. Rubio used a three-day, three-nation trip to the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Bahrain this week to try to convince all the members of the Gulf Cooperation Council that the Trump administration does indeed have their backs in negotiations to end the war President Donald Trump and Israel launched on Feb. 28. That conflict sharply curtailed the region's oil exports and saw several Gulf countries take direct retaliatory Iranian missile and drone hits. "They've shared with us some very concrete concerns, ideas," Rubio said in Bahrain, the last stop on the trip. "And when I say concern, the biggest concern is that they really just want to be informed every step along the way as we enter these negotiations at both the technical and political ...

Three India-flagged oil tankers cross Hormuz with 94 crew onboard

Three Indian-flagged crude oil tankers carrying over 8.6 lakh million tonnes of cargo with 94 crew members from the country transited through the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday and are en route to India, Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said. The three crude oil tankers -- Desh Vaibhav, Desh Vibhor, and Sanmar Herald -- are expected to arrive in India between June 24 and July 1. While Desh Vaibhav is expected to reach Vadinar Port on June 24, Desh Vibhor is likely to arrive at Sikka Port the same day. Sanmar Herald, the third Indian-flagged oil tanker to cross the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday, is scheduled to reach Paradip on July 1. "3 Indian-flagged crude oil tankers, Desh Vaibhav, Desh Vibhor and Sanmar Herald carrying over 8.6 Lakh MT of cargo with 94 Indian crew members have successfully transited the Strait of Hormuz today and are en route to India," Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways Sonowal said in a post on X. "Under the decisive leadership of Hon'ble PM Shri ...

India's exports hit record $863 billion despite trade shocks, says official

Despite global trade disruptions stemming from the West Asia conflict and the imposition of US tariffs, India's exports reached a record high of USD 863 billion in Financial Year 2025-26, a senior Commerce Ministry official said on Wednesday. "This has been a very difficult year, from US tariffs to West Asia crises, but despite that, we have proved that India is very resilient as far as the export ecosystem is concerned. India's total exports reached an all-time high of USD 863 billion in FY 2025-26," said Additional Secretary in the Department of Commerce, Ajay Bhadoo. Bhadoo was speaking at the Outreach Programme: 12 years of achievements and progress of SEZs of Gujarat & vision of future" in Ahmedabad. He said India's overall exports have nearly doubled from approximately USD 441 billion to USD 863 billion over the last decade, led by sectors such as engineering goods, petroleum products, electronics, pharmaceuticals, gems & jewellery, and chemicals. He added that Gujarat ..

Modi, Kuwaiti Amir discuss West Asia tensions; India thanks Oman for rescue

Prime Minister Narendra Modi reiterated the call for de-escalation in West Asia, while India thanked Oman for rescuing 24 Indian crew members from a disabled tanker

GDP growth momentum intact, no immediate need for borrowing: Govt officials

The Indian economy is facing headwinds from external sectors with rising fuel and fertiliser import bills due to West Asia crisis, but GDP growth momentum remains intact with domestic consumption holding up, government sources said on Tuesday. Sources said the FY27 Budget had taken into cognisance the uncertainties in the global economy around tariffs, and the government do not immediately need to account for additional borrowing or bring in supplementary demands for grants in the upcoming monsoon session of Parliament. On the fiscal deficit front, sources said the budgeted target of 4.3 per cent of GDP is still intact, and the government is actively tapping its non-tax revenue areas like disinvestment and asset monetisation in the current fiscal. "DIPAM and DPE have a year-long pipeline and also a medium-term outlook of disinvestment and asset monetisation. I would hope the budgeted Rs 80,000 crore under this head exceeds BE and both the departments are working on it," a source sai

Oil tanker with 24 Indians catches fire off Oman coast; all safe, says MEA

Missions issue advisory to Indians in Iran, Israel

Oil prices rise over 1% as new West Asia hostilities flare, talks stall

Brent futures rose $1.05, or 1.09 per cent, at $97.05 a barrel, while US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude rose $1.01, or 1.08 per cent, to settle at $94.77

Iran halts talks with mediators after Israel threat to bomb Beirut: Report

Iran stopped communicating with mediators after Israel threatened to bomb Beirut as it continues fighting the Iranian-backed Lebanese militia Hezbollah, two semiofficial Iranian news agencies reported. The reports by the Fars and Tasnim news agencies, both believed to be close to Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, come as Iran insists the fighting in Lebanon is part of the wider ceasefire talks with the United States over the war. Israel and the US maintain the fighting in Lebanon is separate from the Iran war talks. A regional official involved in the mediation, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss the talks, said Iran has not communicated at all on Tuesday after saying that a ceasefire needed to be enforced in Lebanon for negotiations to continue.

An LNG glut is on its way despite disruption from West Asia conflict

The world's largest LNG plant is idled and Qatar says repairing it will take at least three years. And yet, the contours of a long-term surplus are already starting to emerge