The Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, and French President Emmanuel Macron discussed the prevailing situation in West Asia over the telephone. Both leaders agreed on the urgent need to restore safety and ensure freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.
During the telephonic conversation, they reiterated their commitment to continue close cooperation in advancing peace and stability in the region and beyond.
“Received a phone call from my dear friend, President Emmanuel Macron. We discussed the situation in West Asia and agreed on the need to urgently restore safety and freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz,” Modi wrote on X. “We will continue our close cooperation to advance peace and stability in the region and beyond @EmmanuelMacron.”
The discussion attains significance as 20 percent of the world’s oil and gas shipments pass through the narrow waterway, the Strait of Hormuz, which is effectively closed by Iran in response to the attacks by the US and Israel on the Islamic Republic on February 28. As around 35-50 percent of India’s crude oil imports are linked to shipments passing through the Strait, the situation is even more concerning for the country.
