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Amidst the increasing tension in West Asia, India has become cautious about the security of its merchant ships. According to sources, the Indian government is considering deploying naval warships to provide security to Indian ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz. According to the New York Times report, the move is under consideration following a request from Indian ship owners, as this sea route has now turned into a high-risk area due to rising military tensions in West Asia.
Ship owners asked for naval protection
According to the New York Times, senior Indian Maritime Administration official Captain P.C. Meena said Indian shipowners have demanded naval escort for their ships. After this, the government is considering the option of sending Indian warships if needed, so that Indian merchant ships can safely cross the Strait of Hormuz. In fact, in recent times, after the attacks involving Iran, America and Israel, the danger in maritime activities around the Strait of Hormuz has increased. Due to this, there have been reports of a large number of ships being stranded on both sides.
Pakistan also sent warships
According to the report, Pakistan Navy has also announced to send warships to West Asia for the security of its ships. Two ships of Pakistan’s National Shipping Company have already come under the surveillance of the Navy. However, Pakistan did not clarify through which sea route its tankers were being brought back. Pakistan imports most of its natural gas from Qatar and crude oil from Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates, hence this sea route is very important for it too.
Government’s eye on energy supply
Meanwhile, the government is also cautious about fuel supply and prices in India. According to sources, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday met Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar reviewed the country’s energy situation in a meeting with Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal. The Prime Minister has instructed the ministers to ensure that the impact of the West Asia crisis reaches Indian consumers to a minimum and that the supply of petroleum products remains uninterrupted.
Preparation to increase energy purchases from other countries
India is also taking steps towards diversifying import sources to strengthen its energy security. According to sources, the country is now working on increasing the purchase of energy resources from America, Russia, Venezuela, Australia and other Oceanic countries. Also, the government has decided to increase LPG production and give priority in the use of natural gas to maintain domestic supply. Under this, priority is being given to gas supply for domestic cooking gas and transportation sector.
Crisis on hotel-restaurant industry
Meanwhile, the impact of shortage of LPG cylinders is also visible on the hotel and restaurant industry. National Restaurant Association of India (NRAI) President Sagar Daryani said that restaurants in many cities have only one or two days of gas stock left. He warned that if the supply is not increased soon, many hotels and restaurants in cities like Mumbai, Bangalore and Pune may have to be closed in the next two days. Ongoing tensions in West Asia have put pressure on both global energy supplies and maritime trade. In such a situation, India is constantly considering strategic steps to protect its merchant ships and energy supplies.
