Related videos:
The Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, received a phone call on Tuesday from the U.S. President Donald Trump, during which both leaders discussed the situation in the Middle East and emphasized the importance of keeping the Strait of Hormuz open and secure.
The conversation lasted for about forty minutes, according to the Times of India citing the U.S. ambassador in India, Sergio Gor, and it took place a day after Trump announced a naval blockade against Iranian ports in the Arabian Gulf, the Gulf of Oman, and the Strait of Hormuz, effective from 10:00 a.m. this Tuesday.
Modi reported the contact on his X account: "I received a call from my friend, President Donald Trump. We reviewed the substantial progress achieved in our bilateral cooperation across various sectors. We are committed to continuing to strengthen our Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership in all areas. We also discussed the situation in West Asia and emphasized the importance of keeping the Strait of Hormuz open and secure."
During the call, Trump expressed to Modi that "the people of India love you", in a gesture that reflects the warm tone of the bilateral relationship between the two leaders, also driven by the historic trade agreement through which India committed to purchase American energy and defense products.
The contact takes place in a context of high regional tension. The two-week ceasefire announced on April 8 failed to stabilize the situation, and Iran responded by collapsing naval traffic by 97% after closing the Strait of Hormuz again.
For India, the situation is particularly serious given its 88% dependence on crude oil imports that pass through this maritime route. Analysts point out that India's dilemma regarding the Strait of Hormuz is not yet over, and that New Delhi will need to navigate carefully between its ties with Washington and its energy dependence on the region.
Filed under: