Kamal Ghorui
NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday held a telephonic exchange with Crown Prince of Kuwait Sheikh Al-Khaled and conveyed his greetings on Eid.During the conversation, PM Modi also condemned the attacks on Kuwait amid the ongoing conflict between joint forces of the US & Israel and Iran.In a social media post on X, PM Modi said, “Spoke with HH Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah, Crown Prince of Kuwait, and conveyed greetings on the upcoming festival of Eid. We exchanged views on the evolving situation in West Asia and shared concerns over recent developments. Reiterated India’s condemnation of attacks on Kuwait’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. Ensuring safe and free navigation through the Strait of Hormuz remains our foremost priority.”“We agreed that sustained diplomatic engagement remains essential for regional peace and stability. I thanked him for continued support for the safety and wellbeing of the Indian community in Kuwait,” he added.On Monday, PM Modi also spoke to UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and reiterated India’s strong condemnation of all attacks on the Gulf country that have resulted in the loss of innocent lives and damage to civilian infrastructure.The talks took place amidst reports of fresh attacks on the country’s energy infrastructure by Iranian drones.The PM said in a post on X that the leaders agreed on the importance of ensuring safe and free navigation through the Strait of Hormuz.“We will continue to work together for the early restoration of peace, security, and stability in the region,” said PM Modi, while also conveying Eid greetings to the president. India has a critical energy partnership with the UAE, which, according to the Indian government, is the 4th largest source of crude and the 2nd largest source of LNG and LPG for India.Apart from the safety and security of the Indian diaspora, India’s immediate concern about the conflict is the likely impact on its LPG supplies through the Strait of Hormuz, which is effectively blockaded by Iran.As the government said earlier this week, India has chosen dialogue and diplomacy with Tehran to address its concerns instead of entertaining any thought about joining a US-led military coalition to secure the key waterway.The proposal for sending warships has found few takers among the US’ NATO allies in any case.
