Page 6 - West Asia

West Asia war: Mkts log best weekly gain in over 5 years on Iran-US truce

Friday sees first net FPI inflows since the start of conflict

Pascale Sourisse on why strategic autonomy is more critical now than ever

In a world where peace can no longer be taken for granted, Sourisse, who heads a global defence major, tells Veenu Sandhu why strategic autonomy is more critical now than ever

Oil prices set for biggest weekly loss in 10 months after US-Iran ceasefire

Brent crude futures were up 5 cents, or 0.05 per cent, at $95.97 a barrel by 1150 GMT

West Asia war: Who is the real force in Pakistan powering US-Iran talks?

With Munir at the helm, a social media charm offensive is reshaping Pakistan's image as a peace facilitator

Weekly sectoral stress indicator in the works: Commerce Secretary

Government plans weekly sectoral stress indicator to track trade and logistics disruptions as West Asia crisis raises input costs and supply chain concerns

US, Iran prepare for ceasefire negotiations as Vance heads to Pakistan

Vice President JD Vance on Friday warned Tehran not to "play" the US as he departed for Islamabad for negotiations aimed at ending the war with Iran. President Donald Trump has tasked the member of his inner circle who has seemed to be the most reluctant defender of the conflict with Iran to now find a resolution to the war that began six weeks ago and stave off the US president's astonishing threat to wipe out its "whole civilisation." Vance, who has long been sceptical of foreign military interventions and outspoken about the prospect of sending troops into open-ended conflicts, set off Friday to lead mediated talks with Iran in the Pakistani capital of Islamabad. Boarding Air Force Two on his way to Pakistan, the vice president said, "We're looking forward to the negotiation. I think it's gonna be positive. We'll, of course, see." He cited Trump in saying, "If the Iranians are willing to negotiate in good faith, we're certainly willing to extend the open hand." But he added, "If

West Asia crisis must not become opportunity to profiteer: Sonowal

Shipping minister asks maritime players to avoid profiteering amid West Asia crisis, ensure transparency in charges and faster cargo clearance at ports

CIL absorbs surge in input costs to shield coal users from price hike

CIL said that any pass-through of these rising input costs could have a cascading effect on the economy, particularly on power and industrial users dependent on coal

West Asia crisis: Govt to set up weekly system to track EXIM trends

The commerce ministry on Friday said it will set up a weekly monitoring mechanism to track export-import trends and sectoral stress indicators amid concerns that supply chain disruptions, logistics constraints, and rising input costs due to geopolitical tensions could impact industries. The concerns and challenges of the exporting community with regard to the rising cost of packaging material and disruptions in the ship movement in international waters, particularly to the West Asia region, were discussed in two separate meetings on March 9 here. The meeting, chaired by Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal, focused on challenges arising from disruptions in packaging materials and associated inputs. It was observed that the ongoing geopolitical developments can impact the availability and pricing of key petrochemical inputs, such as polymers and resins, leading to increased costs for packaging materials across sectors. Industry participants highlighted the increase in prices of critica

Lenders favour MSME loan restructuring over moratorium amid stress

Banks prefer restructuring MSME loans over moratoriums to maintain credit discipline, as stress from US tariffs and the West Asia crisis raises concerns over repayment capacity

India must rethink reliance on West Asia after current energy shock: ONGC

As the world scrambles to recover from the biggest energy shock in decades triggered by the West Asia conflict, India should be cautious about relying on traditional supply assumptions, particularly its proximity to the Middle East for sourcing oil and gas, ONGC Chairman and CEO Arun Kumar Singh said on Friday. India, which relied on the Middle East to meet nearly half of its crude oil imports, 30 per cent of its gas and 85-90 per cent of LPG, must invest in building strategic storages as an insurance against price and supply disruptions, he said. The six-week long was shut the only shipping lane that was used by the Gulf countries to export crude oil (raw material for making petrol and diesel), natural gas (used to make fertilizer, generate electricity, turn into CNG to power automobiles and piped to household kitchens for cooking) and cooking gas LPG. This led to an energy crisis in several importing countries, including India which had to prioritise supply of gas. "Thinking that

Gaza marks 6 months of ceasefire that may offer lessons for Iran war

Friday marks six months since Gaza's ceasefire deal took effect, a milestone largely lost in the confusion over the new and even more fragile ceasefire in the Iran war. The ravaged Palestinian territory of 2 million people has seen the most intense fighting stop between Israeli forces and Hamas-led militants. But most of the ceasefire work remains to be done, from disarming Hamas and ending its two-decade rule to deploying an international stabilisation force and beginning vast reconstruction. Gaza residents are in limbo, with limited aid entering through a single, Israeli-controlled border post. Such challenges could represent what's to come in the latest war, as US President Donald Trump's approach to peacemaking appears to be stopping bombardment and leaving the bigger picture for others to work out. Whether Trump can force through that kind of deal on Iran, with more actors in play and global markets quivering at every statement, is yet to be seen. The Board of Peace goes ...

No impact of war on India biz, education big opportunity: Salesforce's prez

Global tech major Salesforce has not seen any impact of the West Asia crisis on its business in India, says the company's president and chief executive of South Asia, Arundhati Bhattacharya. The sales, marketing and customer engagement-focused company feels that the education sector presents handsome opportunities in India, the youngest country in the world. "As of now, they seem to be good," she said when asked about the order flow and the overall business amid the West Asia conflict. "Most customers, while they know that they need to be cautious about their investments, I don't see any of them shying away from making those investments on the technology front," Bhattacharya told PTI. While there is uncertainty on the macroeconomic front due to the geopolitical tensions, technology is not standing still, Bhattacharya said, adding that it is evolving at a rapid pace. She said the back-office teams helping the global business out of Indian offices also continue to be busy with their

How the West Asia conflict could leave Wall Street facing lasting risks

Even after a US-Iran ceasefire, investors warn global markets may not stabilise quickly, with elevated oil prices, rising bond yields and shaken confidence pointing to lasting financial risks

West Asia war: Iran warns Israel on Lebanon attacks; Trump targets Hormuz

The fragile US-Iran ceasefire faces new pressure as Iran warns Israel over Hezbollah strikes in Lebanon, while Donald Trump says Tehran is doing a 'very poor job' of allowing oil through Hormuz

For Israeli PM Netanyahu, the war with Iran is unfinished business

As the focus shifts to negotiations between the United States and Iran, no formal Israeli participation is planned

Iran's battered leaders emerge from war confident and with new cards

For Iran's theocratic rulers, just surviving the US-Israeli onslaught means victory. But the seeds of their next crisis may already be planted