Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar held talks in Abu Dhabi with the UAE’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, focusing on the implications of the ongoing Middle East conflict and measures to protect India’s interests and citizens in the Gulf.
Jaishankar expressed gratitude for the UAE’s care of the large Indian community living and working there and highlighted confidence that the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between India and the UAE will deepen. Millions of Indians reside in the UAE; some were repatriated to India amid Iranian drone and missile strikes across the Gulf region. The UAE is a key economic partner for India—ranked third after the US and China for overall trade and second as an export destination after the US—making stability in the Gulf vital for trade and energy security.
The visit followed a temporary ceasefire agreement between the US and Iran. India has been pursuing diplomatic outreach in the Middle East to limit disruptions to energy supplies and shipping routes. India’s petroleum minister, Hardeep Singh Puri, recently visited Qatar to discuss uninterrupted energy trade. Jaishankar’s discussions in the UAE are part of this broader effort to safeguard India’s energy and expatriate interests as regional tensions threaten shipping through strategic chokepoints such as the Strait of Hormuz.
In a related development, Indian-flagged LPG tanker Jag Vikram successfully transited the Strait of Hormuz and sailed out of the Gulf, officials said. The ship, carrying liquefied petroleum gas and expected to reach India on April 15, is reported to be the first Indian-flagged vessel to cross the strait since the US and Iran reached their ceasefire. India imports roughly 60% of its LPG needs and had faced shortages after the conflict disrupted maritime traffic. The Strait of Hormuz handles a significant portion of global crude and gas shipments, with much destined for Asian markets; closures or disruptions there have direct consequences for India’s energy supplies and transport costs.
Domestic and political developments
The news cycle in India also encompassed several major domestic stories:
– Asha Bhosle, legendary playback singer, died at 92 after hospitalization for a chest infection and multi-organ failure. Tributes poured in from across the film and political world, with figures like Shah Rukh Khan and Prime Minister Narendra Modi praising her iconic contribution to Indian music. Bhosle was recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records as the most-recorded artist in music history.
– Delhi’s government released a draft Electric Vehicle (EV) Policy 2026–2030 proposing strict measures to curb pollution, including a ban on registration of new non-electric two-wheelers from 2028 and new electric-only registrations for three-wheelers from 2027. The draft, open for 30 days of comment, also calls for 30% of school buses to be electric by 2030 and offers purchase incentives and tax breaks to encourage electrification. Two-wheelers account for a large share of Delhi’s vehicle stock, and electrification is seen as critical to reducing vehicular emissions in one of the world’s most polluted capitals.
– West Bengal’s 2026 assembly election campaign featured heightened rhetoric around culture and food. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee warned the BJP would ban fish, meat, and eggs if it came to power—an assertion the BJP denied. A viral campaign stunt by a BJP candidate, who paraded with a raw fish, underlined how local identity and cultural symbols have become election flashpoints. Prime Minister Narendra Modi campaigned in the state, pledging to accelerate implementation of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) and promising to identify and remove “infiltrators,” remarks that drew controversy given the CAA’s exclusion of Muslim applicants and nationwide protests since its 2019 passage.
– The national opposition criticized the Modi government’s foreign policy after Pakistan played a role hosting US–Iran peace talks in Islamabad. Opposition leaders argued that Pakistan’s emergence as a mediator exposed weaknesses in India’s diplomatic positioning. Jaishankar has defended the government’s approach, while the Ministry of External Affairs welcomed the ceasefire as a step toward de-escalation without commenting on Pakistan’s role.
Other notable incidents
– A boat capsized on the Yamuna River in Mathura, killing at least 10 people and leaving several missing. Conflicting reports emerged on the number of passengers; rescue operations recovered the overturned vessel but had not found the missing.
Context and outlook
Jaishankar’s UAE visit is part of a concentrated diplomatic effort by India to limit the spillover of the Middle East conflict into South and West Asia, secure energy supplies, and protect the welfare of its expatriate workforce. With trade, remittances, and energy ties at stake, maintaining strong relations with Gulf partners like the UAE, ensuring safe maritime routes, and coordinating consular responses remain high priorities for New Delhi as regional tensions and domestic political pressures converge.