New Delhi: S. Jaishankar held separate conversations with the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates amid escalating tensions in West Asia following the intensifying confrontation between Iran and the United States.
The discussions took place on Saturday night with UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan, focusing on the evolving regional situation.
“Discussed ongoing developments related to the conflict in West Asia,” Jaishankar said on social media on Sunday after speaking with the Saudi foreign minister.
Referring to his conversation with Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Jaishankar said they “exchanged views on various aspects of the regional situation”.
Sources indicated that India’s energy security also figured in the talks with both leaders.
Global oil and gas prices have surged after Iran effectively blocked the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow shipping lane linking the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman that handles around 20 per cent of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas shipments.
West Asia remains a key source of India’s energy supplies, making the developments in the region particularly significant for New Delhi.
Jaishankar’s outreach also comes as India attempts to build a consensus position within the BRICS grouping on the ongoing conflict.
India currently holds the chairmanship of the bloc, which recently expanded to include Iran, the UAE and several other countries.
Iran’s counter-offensive against the UAE and other Gulf nations following the February 28 US-Israel strikes on Iranian targets has triggered unease within the grouping.
As BRICS chair, India now faces the challenge of forging a common stance among member nations on the crisis.
With PTI inputs