Page 38 - West Asia

Two weeks into Iran war, Trump has been knocked back on his political heels

In the two weeks since the U.S. and Israel launched strikes on Iran, President Donald Trump increasingly has been knocked on his political heels. He's grown more agitated with news coverage and has failed to find a way to explain why he started the war - or how he will end it - that resonates with a public concerned by American deaths in the conflict, surging oil prices and dropping financial markets. Even some of his supporters are questioning his plan and his overall poll numbers are declining. Meanwhile, Moscow is getting a boost from the war's early days after Trump eased sanctions on some Russian oil shipments. That, combined with rising oil prices, undercut the yearslong push to crimp President Vladimir Putin's ability to wage war in Ukraine. Then there are Democrats, who were left reeling after Trump won the 2024 election. With control of Congress at stake in November's midterms, the party has come together to oppose Trump's Iran policy and point to the economic turmoil as ..

FPIs pull out ₹52,704 crore in early March amid West Asia conflict

Foreign investors withdrew Rs 52,704 crore (approximately USD 5.73 billion) from domestic equities in the first fortnight of March amid escalating tensions in West Asia, the depreciation of the rupee, and concerns over the impact of high crude oil prices on India's growth and corporate earnings. The latest sell-off comes after foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) infused Rs 22,615 crore into Indian equities in February, the highest monthly inflow in 17 months. Prior to that, FPIs were net sellers for three consecutive months, withdrawing Rs 35,962 crore in January, Rs 22,611 crore in December and Rs 3,765 crore in November, according to depository data. So far in March (until March 13), FPIs have sold equities worth about Rs 52,704 crore in the cash market and remained net sellers on all trading days during the month. Market experts attributed the pullout mainly to rising geopolitical tensions in West Asia. Vaqarjaved Khan, Senior Fundamental Analyst at Angel One, said escalating ..

Trump says Kharg Island totally demolished, may strike again 'just for fun'

Trump says strikes have destroyed Iran's Kharg Island oil hub and warns of further attacks while seeking allied naval support to secure the Strait of Hormuz

UK weighing deployment of 'Octopus' interceptor drones to West Asia: Report

UK defence officials are evaluating the possibility of redirecting cutting-edge equipment initially intended for Eastern Europe to meet new regional demands

IndiGo revises schedules, Air India cancels flight to Dubai amid Iran war

Air India stated that following instructions from the UAE airport authorities, both Air India and its subsidiary Air India Express have curtailed several scheduled flights on March 15

At least 17 vessels attacked in West Asia waters over 2 weeks: UKMTO

The attacks have occurred in and around the Persian Gulf, the Strait of Hormuz and the Gulf of Oman since March 1

Tehran says US attacked it from UAE as Iran war enters third week

Iran issued an evacuation warning for three major ports in the United Arab Emirates on Saturday, including the busiest in the Middle East, openly threatening a neighbouring country's non-US assets for the first time as its war with the US and Israel entered its third week. Iran said the US had used "ports, docks and hideouts" in the UAE to launch strikes on Iran's Kharg Island, without providing evidence. It urged people to evacuate areas where it said US forces were sheltering. Hours after the threat, there was no sign of an attack on Dubai's Jebel Ali port - the Mideast's busiest - or the Khalifa port in Abu Dhabi. But Associated Press images showed a fire at the third port, in Fujairah, caused by debris from an intercepted Iranian drone hitting an oil facility. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told MS NOW that the US attacked Kharg Island and Abu Musa Island with low-range artillery from two locations in the UAE, Ras Al-Khaimah and a place "very close to Dubai," calling th

Delhi govt caps commercial LPG supply at 20% of daily average use

The Delhi government issued an order on Saturday, capping the daily regulated distribution of commercial LPG cylinders at roughly 20 per cent of the city's average consumption. The directive follows instructions from the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas and intends to ensure that essential services continue to receive fuel amid the escalating military conflict between Iran and the US that has put international supply routes in distress. "Delhi typically records a daily sale of around 9,000 commercial LPG cylinders (19-kg equivalent). Under the new system, approximately 1,800 cylinders per day will be distributed through a priority-based allocation mechanism coordinated with the three oil marketing companies (OMCs)," said the order issued by the Department of Food, Supplies and Consumer Affairs. Under the distribution framework, sectors have been classified into eight priority categories. "Educational institutions, hospitals, railways and airports have been placed in the highes

IndiGo suspends flights to 7 West Asia destinations till March 28

IndiGo will suspend planned flights to seven destinations in the Middle East, including Doha, Kuwait and Sharjah, till March 28 amid conflict in the region. The decision is part of the airline making adjustments to its operations to the Middle East, wherein it would be operating 252 weekly flights to and from the region during the period from March 16 to 28. In a statement on Saturday, the airline said it would continue to monitor the situation given the ongoing geopolitical risk, airspace restrictions, airport constraints, consistently rising fuel and insurance costs, and other uncertainties. According to the statement, the airline is aligning capacity with the current conditions while maintaining essential connectivity. "As part of these necessary network adjustments, planned operations to Doha, Kuwait, Bahrain, Dammam, Fujairah, Ras Al Khaimah and Sharjah will remain suspended till 28 March 2026," it said. The conflict involving the US, Israel and Iran that started on February

West Asia crisis: India engages key players to secure energy supplies

Against the backdrop of spiralling hostilities in West Asia, India on Saturday said it has remained in touch with all key players, including the Gulf Cooperation Council, Iran, the US and Israel, with a primary focus on safeguarding its energy security. External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said that besides advocating for dialogue and diplomacy, India has consistently underlined the necessity of ensuring the unimpeded transit of goods and energy supplies through the region. Aseem Mahajan, an additional secretary in the ministry, said five Indian nationals have lost their lives and one remains missing in the ongoing conflict. He said around 1,72,000 Indians have returned to India since February 28, the day the hostilities began. "We have also called for avoiding targeting civilian infrastructure, including energy infrastructure, across the region. We believe that these are the priorities of a large part of the global community since the impact of the conflict is bei

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 ...

India has adequate fertiliser stocks despite West Asia conflict: Govt

There is no shortage of fertilisers in the country in view of the West Asia conflict, the government said on Saturday, asserting that current stocks of urea and other crop nutrients remain "more than adequate". External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said New Delhi's partners have also assured it of uninterrupted fertiliser supplies. "What I can tell you is that India has more than adequate stocks of fertilisers at this point of time, especially for the upcoming Kharif season," he "Our stocks of urea are more than what they were at this point last year," he said at an inter-ministerial media briefing on developments relating to the West Asia crisis. Jaiswal said India's DAP (Diammonium phosphate) stocks are double of what they were in 2025, while the NPK (Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium) stock position is similarly much higher today in comparison to last year. "Observers and commentators would do well to look at the factual situation and not induce panic through

Kerala seeks easing of curbs on commercial LPG supply amid shortage

In view of the cooking gas shortage caused by the conflict in West Asia, the Kerala government on Saturday said it has asked the public sector oil companies to provide necessary relaxations in the restrictions on supply of LPG cylinders for commercial purposes. The request in this regard was also forwarded to Union Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri by state Civil Supplies Minister G R Anil, a government statement said. It said that the oil companies -- IOCL, BPCL and HPCL -- have informed that they will favourably consider the government's request to distribute cylinders for commercial purposes by giving preference to the priority sectors of old age homes, hospitals, orphanages, schools, public or 'subhiksha' hotels, school and college hostels, hotels adjacent to hostels, guest houses and canteens in government and public sector office campuses. A list of the priority areas and institutions for this purpose will be approved by the Department of Public ...

Brics divided on West Asia conflict as India works to build consensus

India on Saturday admitted that a common BRICS position on the West Asia conflict remains elusive due to "differing views" among member-nations and New Delhi is engaged to forge a consensus on the issue. Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, without naming any country, said some BRICS members are directly involved in the conflict, which has impacted finding a unified stance for the grouping. India is the current chair of the influential bloc, which recently expanded to include Iran, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and some other countries. Iran's counter-offensive against the UAE and other Gulf nations following the February 28 US-Israel strikes on Iranian targets has triggered some disquiet within the grouping. As the current chair of the BRICS, India is now navigating the challenge of finding a common position for the bloc on the conflict. "Some members of the BRICS are directly involved in the current situation in the West Asia region, which has impact

Sebi chief urges investors to stay patient amidst global market uncertainty

Sebi chairman Tuhin Kanta Pandey on Saturday urged investors, especially retail ones, to remain patient, terming it the "best strategy" in uncertain times. In remarks made amid the Middle East conflict-induced selling pressures in the markets, Pandey said past episodes of turbulence in markets like the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic or the Russia-Ukraine conflict have shown that things stabilise eventually. The Sebi chief said global efforts are underway to restore stability, even as the ongoing tensions in parts of the world have created uncertainty in energy markets. "For many investors -- especially retail investors -- the best strategy during such a period of uncertainty is to remain patient," Pandey said, speaking at an event here. The chief of the Indian capital markets regulator acknowledged that "uncertainty" dominates the global economic landscape, and added that the same is triggered by technology changes with the adoption of artificial intelligence and geopolitical ...

Drukair to resume Bangkok flights, add Singapore service via Guwahati

Bhutan's national carrier Drukair has announced the resumption of flights from Paro to Bangkok via Guwahati, along with the introduction of a third weekly service on its Singapore route through the northeastern city from next month. The services are expected to boost regional air connectivity and reflect the airline's ongoing network expansion strategy, a statement said on Saturday. "The reintroduction of twice-weekly flights to Bangkok via Guwahati restores an important regional link that has historically played a significant role in facilitating tourism, medical travel, education and business exchanges among Bhutan, the northeastern states of India, and Thailand," it said. The expanded flight services will operate on the Paro-Guwahati-Singapore and Paro-Guwahati- Bangkok sectors from April. The additional Singapore frequency is introduced in response to sustained growth in passenger demand and reflects Drukair's strategic focus on expanding access to key international gateways, t

Iran assures safe passage for Indian vessels through Strait of Hormuz

The current round of conflict in West Asia, which started on February 28, has witnessed fighting between Israel and the United States on one side and Iran on the other

TN govt offers ₹2 per unit power subsidy for eateries using induction

The Tamil Nadu government on Saturday announced a subsidy of Rs 2 per unit of electricity for restaurants, hotels and tea shops that switch to electric stoves instead of commercial LPG cylinders to run their businesses. Chief Minister M K Stalin has been holding review meetings since the conflict in West Asia began on February 28, which has led to a shortage of commercial LPG cylinders for eateries, the government said. At a review meeting held on Saturday, it was decided to provide a subsidy of Rs 2 per unit for the additional electricity consumed by the hotels, tea shops and cloud kitchens using induction stoves. "This subsidy will remain in effect as long as the commercial LPG usage restrictions announced by the Centre are in place," Additional Chief Secretary J Radhakrishnan said. Briefing reporters at the Secretariat here, he said electricity consumption by hoteliers and restaurants has increased, with demand rising by about 50 MW above the average in the recent days. Referri

Lanka IOC assures Sri Lanka fuel supply security amid West Asia crisis

A top official of the Lanka Indian Oil Corporation, the company's Sri Lanka operation, on Saturday assured continued fuel supplies amid the ongoing conflict in West Asia. The statement from Lanka Indian Oil Corporation (LIOC) comes after Sri Lanka's foreign minister, Vijitha Herath, expressed confidence that the request to his Indian counterpart, Dr S. Jaishankar, would help sustain island nations' energy supply chain. Herath discussed the matter with Jaishankar during his official visit to India on March 6. Addressing a gathering of management students here on Saturday, K Raghu, the managing director of LIOC, said,"As the Managing Director of Lanka IOC, I only want to tell the people that you are all in safe hands." "We will maintain the fuel line and provide energy security to the country, which is very important," Raghu added. "I will not say the situation is very rosy, but I will definitely assure you that you are all in safe hands, he said, adding that the companies and the .

West Asia war: Gas crunch disrupts factories, from production to canteens

Fuel shortages linked to the West Asia war are disrupting factory output and canteen operations across India, forcing gas-dependent units to cut production and seek alternative energy sources