Prime Minister and Saudi Crown Prince agree to keep shipping routes open

NEW DELHI: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman and reiterated India’s concerns over freedom of navigation, raising concerns about the movement of Saudi crude oil through the Red Sea as Iran-allied Houthis fired missiles at Israel into the West Asian war zone.“We agreed on the need to ensure freedom of navigation and keep shipping lanes safe. Thank you for his continued support for the welfare of the Indian community in Saudi Arabia,” Modi wrote on X after speaking to the kingdom’s de facto ruler. Modi also reiterated India’s condemnation of attacks on regional energy infrastructure.

The Houthis, a Shiite group armed and funded by Iran that controls Yemen, have so far been on the brink of fighting. They have fought the Saudis and in 2023 blocked the strategically important Bab el-Mandeb Strait – a narrow channel that carries a large portion of global energy and cargo flows – as part of the conflict. At a time when risks around the Strait of Hormuz persist, any disruption in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait could further strain already sensitive supply chains.This is the second telephone conversation between the prime minister and the crown prince since the conflict in West Asia broke out on February 28.Underscoring India’s energy and diaspora interests in the Gulf, Modi has twice spoken to leaders of all GCC countries since the conflict began and condemned violations of their sovereignty and territorial integrity. However, India has yet to condemn the US and Israeli attacks on Iran.Modi also repeatedly called for keeping the Strait of Hormuz open, which Iran continues to control, to ensure that global energy security is not adversely affected.