PM, Saudi crown prince agree on need to keep shipping lines open | India News
PM Modi talks with Saudi crown prince amid West Asia conflict, talks on keeping shipping lines open
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammad bin Salman and reiterated India’s concerns over freedom of navigation as the Iran-linked Houthis entered the war theater in West Asia by firing missiles at Israel, raising concerns about Saudi crude transit through the Red Sea.“We agreed on the need to ensure freedom of navigation and secure shipping lines. Thank him for his continued support for the welfare of the Indian community in Saudi Arabia,” Modi wrote on X after his conversation with the de facto Saudi ruler. Modi also reiterated India’s condemnation of attacks on regional energy infrastructure.
The Houthis – a Shiite group armed and bankrolled by Iran and taking control of Yemen – have so far been on the sidelines of the war. They have waged war against the Saudis and, in 2023, as part of the conflict, blocked the strategically important Bab el-Mandab Strait – a narrow passage that carries a significant portion of global energy and cargo flows. At a time when risks remain around the Strait of Hormuz, any disruption at Bab el-Mandeb could further strain an already sensitive supply chain.This was the second telephone conversation between the Prime Minister and the Prince since the outbreak of the West Asia conflict on February 28.Highlighting India’s power and diaspora interests in the Gulf region, Modi has twice spoken to leaders of GCC countries since the conflict began and condemned violations of their sovereignty and territorial integrity. India, however, did not condemn the US-Israeli attack on Iran.In his conversation, Modi also repeatedly called for keeping the Strait of Hormuz – which Iran continues to control – open so as not to adversely affect global energy security.
