New Delhi [India], March 20 : India is actively engaging with global partners to safeguard its energy security and the safety of Indian nationals in the Gulf as tensions in West Asia continue to disrupt trade and logistics. In view of the disruptive situations, the Central government has also announced a financial relief package of Rs 497 crores aimed at helping exporters affected by disruptions in West Asia.
Addressing an inter-ministerial briefing in New Delhi, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the ongoing situation has posed challenges for countries across the world.
"It has been a testing time for not just us, but for the entire global community. Our leaders have been in touch with their counterparts," Jaiswal said.
He noted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other Indian leaders have been engaging with several countries in the region, including Kuwait.
"I just spoke about the conversation between our Prime Minister and the Crown Prince of Kuwait. We have been in touch with several other leaders," he said.
Jaiswal also said diplomatic engagement helped ensure the safe passage of two Indian LPG vessels through the strategically important Strait of Hormuz.
"A couple of days back, you saw that because of our engagement, we were able to get two of our LPG ships through the Strait of Hormuz," he said.
India is continuing to coordinate with stakeholders to ensure uninterrupted energy supplies and the safety of its citizens in the Gulf region, he added.
"We continue to be in touch with several stakeholders in this matter so that we can ensure our energy security needs and also at the same time ensure the well-being and safety of our Indian nationals and diaspora who are present in large numbers in the GCC countries," Jaiswal said.
Meanwhile, the government also announced a financial relief package aimed at helping exporters affected by disruptions in West Asia.
Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Senthil Rajan said the Ministry of Commerce and Industry has approved a package called RELIEF to support exporters facing logistical challenges.
"The government has approved a package which is called RELIEF, meaning Resilience and Logistic Intervention of Export Facilitation. It is an intervention under the Export Promotion Mission to support exporters amidst West Asia logistics disruptions," Rajan said.
He said the initiative has been launched under the Flexible Export Promotion Mission framework to respond quickly to external disruptions affecting India's trade flows.
"The approval of RELIEF reflects the government's commitment to respond swiftly to external disruptions affecting India's trade flows," he added.
Rajan also noted that the government had set up an inter-ministerial group on supply chain resilience earlier this month to monitor the evolving situation.
"As you are all aware, the government had set up an interministerial group on supply chain resilience, which was operationalised on March 3, to monitor the situation and coordinate facilitation measures," he said.
The relief package, to be implemented through the Export Promotion Mission, has a total financial outlay of Rs 497 crore, he added.
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