What Happened
- US President Donald Trump called Prime Minister Narendra Modi on March 24, 2026 — their first direct conversation since the US-Israel military strike on Iran began on February 28, 2026.
- Both leaders discussed keeping the Strait of Hormuz "open, secure and accessible," reflecting shared concern about disruption to global energy supply chains.
- Modi stated India supports de-escalation and restoration of peace in West Asia; both leaders agreed to stay in touch.
- The day before, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar spoke with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, focusing on the West Asia conflict's impact on the international economy and energy security.
- US Under Secretary of War for Policy Elbridge Colby, speaking in New Delhi, emphasised deepening India-US strategic alignment and scheduled talks with India's Defence Secretary.
- The Strait of Hormuz closure has caused a global rise in oil and gas prices, directly affecting cooking gas supply in India.
Static Topic Bridges
Strait of Hormuz: Strategic Geography and Energy Significance
The Strait of Hormuz is a narrow waterway (at its narrowest approximately 33 km wide) between Iran (to the north) and Oman/UAE (to the south), connecting the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea. It is the world's single most important oil chokepoint. Approximately 20% of global petroleum liquids and 20–25% of global liquefied natural gas (LNG) pass through it annually, primarily from Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Kuwait, the UAE, Qatar, and Iran.
- Roughly 17–18 million barrels of oil per day transited the Strait in recent years
- Qatar is the world's largest LNG exporter — most of its exports pass through Hormuz
- The UAE, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia have no viable alternative export route for most of their production
- Alternative pipelines: Saudi Arabia's East-West Pipeline (Petroline) to Yanbu on the Red Sea; UAE's Abu Dhabi Crude Oil Pipeline to Fujairah (bypasses Hormuz) — neither has enough capacity to substitute full Hormuz volumes
- UNCLOS classifies the Strait as a "strait used for international navigation," granting all states the right of transit passage (Article 38) — Iran disputes this claim for warships
Connection to this news: Any military closure or mining of the Strait directly threatens 20% of global oil supply, which is why both India (third-largest oil importer globally) and the US (global energy market guarantor) are aligned on keeping the waterway open despite their differences on other aspects of the West Asia conflict.
India's Energy Import Dependence and West Asia Exposure
India imports approximately 85% of its crude oil and 50% of its natural gas requirements. West Asia (the Gulf region) accounts for roughly 60% of India's crude oil imports. India's top crude oil suppliers include Iraq, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kuwait, and the US — the first four all ship via the Strait of Hormuz. India's energy security strategy is built around diversifying sources (including Russia and the US) precisely to reduce Hormuz dependency.
- India is the world's third-largest oil importer after China and the United States
- Around 9 million Indian workers are in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries — their remittances (~$40–45 billion/year) are also at risk during regional conflict
- LPG (cooking gas): India imports significant volumes from Qatar and Saudi Arabia; a Hormuz closure would spike domestic cooking gas prices
- The Integrated Energy Policy (IEP), formulated by the Planning Commission, and India's Hydrocarbon Vision 2025 identified Hormuz dependency as a key strategic vulnerability
- OPEC+ supply cuts combined with Hormuz disruption create a compound risk for India's current account deficit and inflation
Connection to this news: Modi's emphasis on "essential for the whole world" — not merely India — signals India's attempt to frame itself as a global stakeholder in energy security while avoiding direct alliance with either the US-Israel camp or Iran, consistent with its strategic autonomy doctrine.
India's Strategic Autonomy in West Asia
India has historically maintained a policy of strategic autonomy in West Asia, balancing relationships with Iran (Chabahar Port, energy), Gulf Arab states (GCC, diaspora, energy), Israel (defence, technology), and the United States. This multi-alignment policy means India avoids taking sides in intra-regional conflicts and maximises its diplomatic leverage. The India-West Asia Corridor (also called the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor, IMEC) — announced at the G20 New Delhi Summit (2023) — further deepens India's structural interest in West Asian stability.
- IMEC (India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor): announced September 2023 at G20; connects India to Europe via Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Israel, and Mediterranean ports — now stalled due to West Asia conflict
- India abstained on key UN resolutions regarding Gaza and has called for dialogue in all West Asia conflicts
- India-Iran: Chabahar Port Agreement (10-year contract signed May 2024); India-Iran trade includes basmati, pharmaceuticals, and machinery
- India-Israel: ₹17,000 crore in bilateral trade; India is Israel's third-largest trade partner; Israel supplies ~46% of India's military imports
- India-Gulf: GCC countries host ~9 million Indians; combined remittances are the largest single source in India's $125 billion annual remittance inflow
Connection to this news: The Trump-Modi call illustrates the tension in India's multi-alignment — India wants the Hormuz open (aligning with the US) but also does not want Iran destabilised (Chabahar, energy), demonstrating the balancing act that defines its West Asia policy.
India-US 2+2 Dialogue and Major Defence Partnership
The India-US relationship has been institutionalised through several high-level mechanisms. The 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue (Foreign and Defence Ministers) meets annually and is the apex decision-making body for the bilateral strategic partnership. India was designated a Major Defence Partner of the US in 2016 (via the National Defense Authorization Act), unlocking access to advanced defence technologies comparable to that given to NATO allies.
- 2+2 Ministerial: held since 2018; Defence Policy Group (DPG) is the working-level mechanism below it
- BECA (Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement for Geo-Spatial Cooperation): signed October 2020 — last of four foundational defence agreements (others: GSOMIA/COMCASA/LEMOA)
- Elbridge Colby's visit and DPG chairmanship signals the US is building up military-to-military coordination even during the West Asia conflict
- The Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology (iCET), launched in 2023, focuses on semiconductor, space, AI, and defence co-production
Connection to this news: Colby's concurrent New Delhi visit and Defence Policy Group meeting alongside the Trump-Modi phone call indicates the US is leveraging the West Asia crisis to deepen the India-US strategic partnership — offering India a role in maintaining regional stability.
Key Facts & Data
- Strait of Hormuz: ~33 km width at narrowest; ~20% of global petroleum liquids transit daily
- War started: February 28, 2026 (US-Israel strikes on Iran)
- Trump-Modi call: March 24, 2026 — first since the war began
- Jaishankar-Rubio call: March 23, 2026 — focused on energy security
- India: third-largest oil importer globally; ~85% crude import dependence; ~60% from West Asia
- LNG dependence: India imports significant volumes from Qatar (world's largest LNG exporter), all transiting Hormuz
- IMEC (India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor): announced G20 New Delhi, September 2023 — now stalled
- GCC Indian diaspora: ~9 million workers; annual remittances ~$40–45 billion
- India-Israel trade: ~₹17,000 crore; Israel supplies ~46% of India's military imports