Hormuz Disruptions Not Distant Events, Have Direct Implications For India: Rajnath Singh in Germany

The disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz are not distant events; they are stark realities with direct implications for India's security and economic stability, Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday said. Addressing the German Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defence and Security on day one of his three-day visit to the country, Rajnath Singh said, "For a developing country like India, which relies on the West Asian region for a significant share of its energy requirements, disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz are not distant events, they are stark realities with direct implications for our security and economic stability." He highlighted that in view of these challenges and their direct implications, India has adopted a proactive

and coordinated strategy.Singh pointed out that the current geopolitical instability can no longer be viewed as regional matters. Their consequences are global in scope, he said, describing them as not localised disturbances, but serious developments with far-reaching implications for energy security, food security and global economic stability, apart from the immense humanitarian cost they entail.The Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway that connects Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman has been effectively closed since the beginning of the US-Israel-Iran war (February 28). Initially, Iran blocked the waterway, letting only vessels from "friendly" nations pass through.Several Indian vessels successfully transited through the Strait of Hormuz. While Iran decided to open the Strait of Hormuz for all commercial vessels last Friday, it reversed its decision in retaliation to US naval blockade on Iran ships. Rajnath Singh's visit to Germany also comes amid the West Asia conflict that has stretched for over 50 days, with global ramifications. During his address, he also asserted that the world today is faced with new security threats, and the technological transformation has made the situation highly complex and intricately connected.A new approach with the willingness to adapt to the changing environment is the need of the hour, the minister said.Singh also made a strong pitch for enhanced collaboration between the defence industrial ecosystems of India and Germany.