Kamal Ghorui
PM Modi and UAE president Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan (File photo)
NEW DELHI: PM Narendra Modi spoke to the UAE President, Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, for the second time since the war started in West Asia on Feb 28 and reiterated India’s strong condemnation of all attacks on the Gulf country, which have resulted in loss of innocent lives and damage to civilian infrastructure. The talks took place amid reports of fresh attacks on the country’s energy infrastructure by Iranian drones.The PM said in an X post 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,” he said, while also conveying Eid greetings to the president. India has a critical energy partnership with the UAE which, according to Indian govt, is the fourth-largest source of crude and the second-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 impact on its LPG supplies through the Strait of Hormuz that is effectively blockaded by Iran. As govt 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. India is currently also engaged with the UAE, a Brics partner, for a consensus in the grouping for a joint statement on the West Asia situation. India, which hold Brics presidency, reiterated Tuesday an agreement remained elusive for now. “Look, we hold the Presidency of Brics. It works on consensus. In this conflict, several members are involved, and it is difficult to bridge the gap in their positions. But we remain engaged with everyone,” said Randhir Jaiswal, the MEA spokesperson.
