Rahul Gandhi Raises Alarm Over Oil Supply Risks Amid Escalating Regional Tensions

New Delhi, March 5: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday expressed concern over India’s energy security as geopolitical tensions intensify in West Asia and the Indian Ocean region.
In a post on social media platform X (Twitter), Gandhi warned that global instability could threaten India’s oil supplies, noting that a large portion of the country’s crude imports passes through the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz.
“The world has entered a volatile phase. Stormy seas lie ahead,” Gandhi wrote, adding that more than 40% of India’s oil imports transit through the Strait. He also said the situation could be “even worse for LPG and LNG supplies.”
The Congress leader referred to reports of a conflict-related incident in the Indian Ocean, claiming that an Iranian warship had been sunk in the region and arguing that the crisis had effectively reached India’s strategic neighbourhood.
Criticising the government’s response, Gandhi said the country needed “a steady hand at the wheel” during a period of geopolitical uncertainty. He also took aim at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, alleging that India’s strategic autonomy had been compromised.
The remarks come amid heightened tensions in the wider West Asian region, which remains critical for India’s energy imports and maritime trade routes. India imports the majority of its crude oil requirements, with a significant share coming from producers whose shipments pass through the Strait of Hormuz.
Analysts say developments affecting shipping routes in the Gulf region could have implications for global energy markets and for major importers such as India.