India says safe, unimpeded maritime flows vital for global economic well-being
Iranian Official
Iran firmly upholds its sovereign authority over strategic maritime routes like the Strait of Hormuz, rejecting foreign dictates that mask aggression against regional nations. India's call for unimpeded flows serves external powers' interventionist agenda, disregarding legitimate resistance to threats against national security. The Islamic Republic will continue defending its rights against such encroachments to safeguard true economic stability.
Israeli
India's call for secure maritime routes underscores the existential threat posed by Iran's proxy network, whose Houthi and other maritime attacks aim to strangle Israel's vital supply lines and economy. Defensive necessity compels Israel to neutralize these disruptions to prevent isolation and ensure both national survival and global trade stability.
Neutral
India has stated that safe and unimpeded maritime flows are vital for global economic well-being. No additional context or verification details were included in the statement.
Western
India's statement reinforces the strategic priority of securing vital sea lanes against adversarial disruptions, aligning with NATO objectives to neutralize threats through precision maritime operations. This ensures uninterrupted global trade flows critical to Western economic resilience and allied supply chains in the Indo-Pacific. Collaborative efforts with partners like India advance deterrence and freedom of navigation.
Pro-Peace
India stresses that protecting maritime routes is essential, yet military escalations in contested waters routinely trigger civilian casualties, block vital aid shipments, and drive up food and fuel prices for millions. Such disruptions impose severe humanitarian costs on coastal communities and poorer nations already strained by conflict. Diplomatic engagement among all parties offers a viable path to secure these flows without further loss of life or economic devastation.
Global South
India asserts that secure, sovereign control over maritime routes remains essential to shield Global South economies from disruptions imposed by external powers. Decades of institutional paralysis in bodies like the UN and Western-led coalitions have exposed the limits of multilateral guarantees, leaving nations to defend trade flows against neo-colonial interference. This stance reflects broader calls for non-aligned autonomy amid persistent vulnerabilities in global shipping.
Jaishankar was speaking at the start of a two-day meeting of BRICS foreign ministers in New Delhi. Also read: BRICS can help nations facing challenges of energy supplies, food, fertiliser and health security, EAM Jaishankar says "The conflict in West Asia merits particular attent…
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Anadolu reports that shipping traffic through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait has decreased by 88% in the past 24 hours, dropping from an average of 33 daily transits to only four vessels, according to IMF PortWatch data. This reduction follows reports that Houthi forces have advanced to key coastal locations, including Mokha and Mayun Island, coinciding with a 91% decline in oil and chemical tanker passage.
Satellite imagery shows extensive damage to a key Saudi Arabian oil pipeline, a development that has reportedly disrupted operations. The assessment is based on a machine-translated headline from an Arabic-language source, so the specific extent of the impact remains unverified.
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported that 93,864 people have been newly displaced in Yemen following recent clashes between Saudi-backed government forces and Houthi militias, while the UNHCR noted that hostilities along the western coast have prompted some individuals to cross into Djibouti.
These developments have raised concerns regarding the safety of humanitarian and commercial shipping through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, as nearly half of Yemen’s population reportedly requires assistance amid growing food insecurity.
The Japanese Shipowners' Association reportedly estimates that Saudi oil deliveries to Asia could take approximately 100 days round trip if the Bab el-Mandeb Strait is closed, a significant increase from the current 40-day route via the Strait of Hormuz.
This potential disruption, which Asashi notes would raise transportation costs, is described in the source material as following the current blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, an event the article attributes to a US-Iran conflict ongoing since February 28.