New Delhi [India], March 20 (ANI): Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Thursday said India should take a lead in trying to end the West Asia conflict, saying that the Gulf region is a major source of the country’s energy supplies, including LPG and LNG, and the conflict is hurting people who have nothing to do with it.
Tharoor, a former union minister, said that the continuation of conflict will create severe shortages and major world leaders should take responsible steps to try and stop the war.
“I have publicly called for India to take a lead in trying to end this war (in West Asia). I think that we have every right to speak as a country that has already been deeply affected and with a lot of stake in the region,” Tharoor told ANI.
“I think we have every right to ask both countries to stop this because this kind of conflict going on is hurting the people who have nothing to do with the conflict…I think 60-80% of our LPG and LNG supply come from that side, through Strait of Hormuz. If we can’t get them, that is going to create severe shortages…So. what major world leaders should be doing is taking responsible steps to try and stop it,” he added.
Asked about Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s conversation with French President Emmanuel Macron to discuss the situation in West Asia, he said a reduction in tensions will be good for the region.
“I think it’s very important that we take every step possible to de-escalate this war. If people of the stature of PM Modi and President Macron were to intervene with both sides of the conflict and try to get them to dial it down, it will be good for the region, for our country, for the world,” he said.
“India and France are supposed to have a special global strategic partnership, upgraded earlier this year. In that spirit, for them to talk about these things is very important. When you talk about the Strait of Hormuz, I don’t think either country has any interest in trying to force passage through the Straits; that would be tantamount to declaring war and I don’t think there is no appetite for that in either country,” he added.
PM Modi held a conversation with President Macron to discuss the situation in West Asia and urgent need for de-escalation and return to dialogue and diplomacy.
The two leaders looked forward to continuing their close coordination to advance peace and stability in the region and beyond.
India said on Thursday that the recent attacks against energy installations in different locations across the Gulf region are deeply disturbing and only serve to further destabilise an already uncertain energy scenario for the whole world.
In response to media queries regarding attacks against energy infrastructure in the Gulf region in the last few days, MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said that attacks against civilian infrastructure, including energy infrastructure, are unacceptable and need to cease.
“India had previously called for the avoidance of targeting civilian infrastructure, including energy infrastructure, across the region. Recent attacks against energy installations in different locations across this region are therefore deeply disturbing and only serve to further destabilise an already uncertain energy scenario for the whole world. Such attacks are unacceptable and need to cease,” he said.
Qatar’s Ras Laffan Industrial City was hit by ballistic missiles from Iran, resulting in extensive damage, as per the country’s Ministry of Defence. The attack is the second at the largest liquefaction facility in the world.
According to QatarEnergy, several of its LNG facilities were also subject to Iranian missile attacks after the attack on Ras Laffan.
“In addition to the previous attack on Ras Laffan Industrial City on Wednesday that resulted in extensive damage to the Pearl GTL (Gas-to-Liquids) facility, QatarEnergy confirms that in the early hours of Thursday, several of its Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) facilities were the subject of missile attacks, causing sizeable fires and extensive further damage. Emergency response teams were deployed immediately to contain the resulting damage with no reported casualties,” it stated.
Israel had earlier struck Iran’s South Pars Gas field. The attack on Iran’s Gas field and Qatar’s LNG facilities has sent energy prices up further, with little sign of any resolution to the conflict soon.
With energy supplies getting increasingly impacted due to West Asia conflict, India has also said that it is diversifying its supply sources to ensure that people’s fuel needs are met.
Answering queries during weekly media briefing here, Jaiswal said India is trying to buy LPG from everywhere and if it is available from Russia, the option would be exercised. He said India wants to have a wide range of options and is buying oil from various sources, including Russia.
“We’re trying to buy LPG from everywhere, wherever it’s available. So if Russia is available, we’ll go there too. Because the current situation is such that we have to ensure that our people’s fuel needs are met… I can say that we want to have a wide range of options,” Jaiswal said.
He said India has continuously emphasised that one of its priorities has been the need to ensure unimpeded transit of goods and energy.
“We have also called for the avoidance of targeting civilian infrastructure, including energy infrastructure, across the region. We believe that these are priorities of a large part of the global community since the impact of the conflict is being felt globally,” he said. (ANI)
