Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar met UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed in Abu Dhabi to discuss the fallout from the Middle East conflict and steps to protect India’s interests and citizens in the Gulf. Jaishankar thanked the UAE for looking after the large Indian community there and said he was confident the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership would deepen. Millions of Indians live and work in the UAE; some were flown home after Iranian drone and missile strikes raised safety concerns. The UAE is a major economic partner—India’s third-largest overall trading partner after the US and China, and its second-largest export destination after the US—so Gulf stability is critical for trade and energy security.
Jaishankar’s visit followed a temporary US–Iran ceasefire. New Delhi has intensified diplomatic outreach across the region to reduce disruptions to energy supplies and shipping. India’s petroleum minister Hardeep Singh Puri recently went to Qatar to press for uninterrupted energy trade, and Jaishankar’s talks in Abu Dhabi form part of that broader push to safeguard energy imports and the welfare of expatriates as tensions threaten passage 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 left 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–Iran ceasefire. India imports roughly 60% of its LPG needs and had faced shortages after maritime disruptions. Because the Strait of Hormuz carries a large share of global crude and gas bound for Asia, any closure or disruption has immediate consequences for India’s energy supply and transport costs.
Domestic and political developments
Several major domestic stories gained attention alongside the foreign-policy focus:
– Legendary playback singer Asha Bhosle died at 92 after being hospitalized with a chest infection and multi-organ failure. Tributes came from the film industry and political leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and stars such as Shah Rukh Khan. Bhosle was listed by the Guinness Book of World Records as the most-recorded artist in music history.
– Delhi’s government published a draft Electric Vehicle (EV) Policy for 2026–2030 proposing strong measures to curb pollution. Key proposals include banning registration of new non-electric two-wheelers from 2028, allowing only electric registrations for three-wheelers from 2027, and targeting 30% of school buses to be electric by 2030. The draft — open for 30 days of public comment — also recommends purchase incentives and tax breaks. Two-wheelers form a large share of Delhi’s vehicle fleet, and officials say electrification is central to reducing vehicular emissions in one of the world’s most polluted capitals.
– West Bengal’s 2026 assembly campaign saw heated rhetoric around culture and food. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee accused the BJP of planning bans on fish, meat and eggs if it came to power, an allegation the BJP denied. A viral stunt by a BJP candidate parading with a raw fish underscored how local identity and food politics have become flashpoints. Prime Minister Narendra Modi campaigned in the state, promising to speed up implementation of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) and to identify and remove what he called “infiltrators.” Those remarks drew controversy because the CAA excludes Muslim applicants and has been the focus of nationwide protests since 2019.
– The national opposition criticized the government’s diplomacy after Pakistan hosted US–Iran peace talks in Islamabad, saying Pakistan’s mediator role highlighted weaknesses in India’s diplomatic positioning. Jaishankar defended India’s approach; the Ministry of External Affairs welcomed the ceasefire as a step toward de-escalation but did not comment on Pakistan’s role.
Other incidents
– A boat capsized on the Yamuna River near Mathura, killing at least 10 people and leaving several others missing. Rescue teams recovered the overturned vessel, but reports on passenger numbers conflicted and searches for the missing continued.
Context and outlook
Jaishankar’s UAE visit is part of a concentrated Indian diplomatic effort to limit the spillover of the Middle East conflict into South and West Asia, secure critical energy supplies, and protect the large expatriate workforce. With trade, remittances and energy ties on the line, New Delhi is prioritizing strong Gulf partnerships, safe maritime routes and coordinated consular responses as regional tensions intersect with domestic political pressures.