West Asia conflict could disrupt India's energy supplies: Shashi Tharoor

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor warned that the tense West Asia conflict could disrupt India's energy supplies, particularly LPG and fuel. He noted that despite peace talk reports, Iran's statements do not suggest an imminent resolution.

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Thursday said that while there are reports of possible peace talks involving the United States, the situation in West Asia remains tense, with Iran's statements not suggesting an imminent resolution to the ongoing conflict. He warned that the conflict could continuously disrupt vital energy supplies, with India importing 60 per cent of its LPG, 90 per cent of which comes from Qatar and the Gulf.

Impact on India's Energy Supplies

Speaking to ANI, Tharoor said, "There might be peace talks involving the US Vice President JD Vance, but I don't know because certainly the language coming out of Iran does not suggest that peace is imminent, and there are apparently 4,500 American Marines on the way to that area. There is a genuine risk that things may get worse before they get better...As a nation, we are very badly affected by a couple of things in particular. LPG, which we import 60 per cent of, and 90 per cent of that 60 per cent comes from Qatar and the Gulf. That is extremely serious. Gas cylinders in your kitchens, in the restaurants, and dhabas are all running short because of the war. The second challenge is going to be diesel and petrol prices, which are so far under some degree of control, but have gone up and could go up much more if the war is prolonged."

"The UN Secretary General has also issued an appeal for peace. I've been saying for two or three weeks that I hope we can take a stand on the matter. Yes, we are in favour of peace, but we are clearly not actively involved in promoting peace at the present moment," he said.

Background of the Conflict

The ongoing conflict in West Asia has entered its fourth week, disrupting trade routes through the Strait of Hormuz. Tensions escalated following the killing of 86-year-old Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in joint military strikes by the US and Israel on February 28. In retaliation, Iran targeted Israeli and US assets across several Gulf countries, causing further disruptions to the waterway and impacting international energy markets as well as global economic stability.

US President's Stance

Earlier, a Wall Street Journal report had suggested that US President Trump has told associates in recent days that he wants to avoid a protracted war in Iran and that he hopes to bring the conflict to an end in the coming weeks. Citing people familiar with the matter, WSJ reported that Trump has privately informed advisors that he thinks the conflict is in its final stages, urging them to stick to the four-to-six-week timeline he has outlined publicly. (ANI)

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