Jaishankar Holds Talks With German, Korean Counterparts on West Asia Crisis

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Tuesday held discussions with his counterparts from Germany and South Korea as rising tensions in West Asia continue to rattle global energy markets.

Jaishankar said he exchanged views with German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul on the escalating conflict in the region. “Exchanged views with FM @JoWadephul of Germany on the ongoing conflict in West Asia,” he wrote in a post on X.

The minister also spoke with South Korea’s foreign minister Cho Hyun, describing it as a “good conversation” in which the two sides reviewed bilateral ties and discussed the wider impact of the conflict. “Discussed advancing our bilateral agenda, as also the situation in West Asia, including its energy implications,” Jaishankar said.

The diplomatic outreach comes as the ongoing US-Israel conflict with Iran threatens shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial maritime corridor through which roughly 20% of the world’s oil and natural gas supplies pass.

A day earlier, Jaishankar had also spoken with Italy’s foreign minister Antonio Tajani to discuss the evolving situation in the region. The conflict has triggered sharp volatility in crude oil prices, which surged to around $115 per barrel on Monday, raising concerns about global fuel supplies.

Several countries across South Asia are already preparing for potential energy disruptions. Governments in Bangladesh, Pakistan and Sri Lanka have introduced emergency measures aimed at conserving fuel and managing electricity demand as the crisis continues to affect global energy flows.

India Reviews Energy Preparedness

Amid concerns over supply disruptions, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday held a meeting with Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri and Jaishankar to review the country’s fuel preparedness, including liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) supplies.

The Union government has also invoked the Essential Commodities Act to safeguard domestic fuel availability. Under a control order issued by the Petroleum Ministry, refineries and petrochemical units have been directed to increase LPG production and divert key hydrocarbon streams into the LPG pool to maintain steady supply.

State-run energy companies including Indian Oil Corporation, Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited said steps are being taken to boost LPG output and build sufficient stocks for households and essential sectors.

Trump’s Mixed Signals on Iran War

Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump suggested the conflict could end soon but warned of severe retaliation if Iran disrupts oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz.

Speaking to Republican lawmakers at his golf club near Miami, Trump said the military campaign was intended to eliminate threats in the region and could prove to be a “short-term excursion.” However, he cautioned that any attempt by Iran to block the strategic shipping lane would be met with a response “twenty times harder” than previous strikes.

Iranian officials rejected those remarks, with a spokesperson for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps saying Tehran would determine when the war comes to an end.

Trump also held a phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday to discuss the possibility of a quick settlement to the conflict. The call came as Russia pledged support to Iran’s new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei.