Attacks on merchant ships ‘completely unacceptable’: Jaishankar
Participating in the ‘AZEC Plus’ virtual meeting convened by Japan, the External Affairs Minister highlights the growing risks to global supply chains, particularly in energy markets, and called for coordinated international efforts to safeguard critical sea lanes.
Amid escalating tensions in West Asia and disruptions to global energy flows, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Wednesday termed attacks on merchant shipping “completely unacceptable”, underscoring India’s firm commitment to ensuring safe and unimpeded maritime transit.
Participating in the ‘AZEC Plus’ virtual meeting convened by Japan, Jaishankar highlighted the growing risks to global supply chains, particularly in energy markets, and called for coordinated international efforts to safeguard critical sea lanes.
“Global growth demands that energy markets are not constricted,” he said, adding that as a major energy consumer, India would work with “like-minded partners” to strengthen supply chain resilience.
The meeting comes against the backdrop of heightened instability around the Strait of Hormuz, a key artery for global oil shipments that has seen rising security concerns in recent weeks.
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, who convened the meeting, stressed that Asian economies were among the most vulnerable to disruptions in energy and resource flows through the Strait. She called for greater regional cooperation, noting that supply chain shocks in one region have cascading effects across interconnected global markets.
The ‘AZEC Plus’ framework brings together key Indo-Pacific and Southeast Asian partners -- including Australia, Indonesia, Vietnam and Singapore -- along with India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, besides institutions such as the International Energy Agency, Asian Development Bank and Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia.
The discussions focused on mitigating supply chain disruptions, particularly in energy, and reinforcing cooperative mechanisms to ensure stability in the face of geopolitical shocks.
India’s strong pitch for maritime security and resilient supply chains signals its intent to play a more proactive role in shaping regional responses as tensions in West Asia threaten to spill over into global economic corridors.
At the meeting, participant countries acknowledged that Asia is the most affected region by disruption in the supply of energy resources via the Strait of Hormuz, and concurred on the importance of ensuring safe passage through the Strait.
