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Modi, Trump stress keeping Hormuz open
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump emphasized the need to keep the Strait of Hormuz open and secure during a roughly 40-minute call, according to a post on X.
Why it matters: The call came a day after the US ordered a naval blockade of Iran’s ports and coastal areas, which will impact India’s efforts to secure shipments through the strait. While New Delhi had worked its diplomatic channels with Tehran to secure a gradual and coordinated passage of India-bound fuel shipments during the war, Trump’s blockade will upend that arrangement and disrupt the import of Iranian energy supplies. Both New Delhi and Tehran have said that Indian ships did not pay a toll to cross the waterway.
IN CONTEXT- At least eight India-flagged merchant ships crossed the Strait of Hormuz under the India-Iran diplomatic arrangement before the ceasefire, while one more reportedly crossed after the ceasefire was announced. Fifteen other Indian vessels remain stranded in the waterway.
ALSO- India’s External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar spoke with Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar and Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong to discuss developments in the Middle East following the US-announced blockade, he said on X (here and here).
Commerce minister reaches out to the GCC
Dial Kuwait and the UAE: India’s Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal has ramped up engagement with Gulf counterparts, including Kuwait’s Commerce Minister Osama Khaled Boodai and the UAE’s Foreign Trade Minister Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, to restore disrupted supply chains and coordinate action to stabilize logistics, with India offering support on food security and trade continuity.
In parallel, he held talks with GCC Secretary General Jasem Mohamed Al Budaiwi and Bahrain’s Commerce Minister Abdulla bin Adel Fakhro, centering on predictable trade routes and alternative logistics.
Corridor under strain: India-Gulf trade, valued at USD 178 bn in 2024/25, is currently under strain — disrupting sectors including petroleum, rice, gems and jewelry, and pharma. The intensified diplomatic outreach hints at India’s urgency to secure Gulf supply chains.
