Parliamentary panel to hear views of Shipping Ministry on impact of West Asia crisis on India’s maritime trade today (25 May)

It will hear views of Secretary, Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, on the subject ‘Implications of the West Asia Crisis on India’s Maritime Trade, Shipping Infrastructure and Seafarer Safety.’      Representatives from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), the Ministry of Commerce, and the Ministry of Petroleum will also attend the meeting.      External Affairs Minister Shri S Jaishankar on Sunday said that India is among the few countries in the world with strong relations and real interests in the Gulf and that it wants peace and stability in the region.      Addressing a joint press conference with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Shri Jaishankar said, “India today is one of the very few countries that has very strong relations with the United States, with Israel, with Iran, and with the Gulf countries. We have real interests there. For us, the challenge is how to maintain all these relationships, protect our equities, and advance our interests. We don’t look at it as a zero-sum game. Having said that, there are general principles: we want peace and stability in the region, the welfare of our diaspora is crucial, and as a big importer of energy, keeping prices down for global growth is vital.”      He reiterated India’s strong interest in safe and unimpeded maritime commerce through the region and added, “We want energy markets not to be distorted or constrained because it has a cost implication for our people.”      He added that India’s priorities in the region included peace, stability, protection of the Indian diaspora and secure maritime trade routes.