Diplomatic Reaction and Controversy
India’s Ministry of External Affairs only briefly commented on reports of US President Donald Trump’s alleged description of India as a ‘hellhole,’ in New Delhi on Thursday.
“We have seen some reports, that is where I leave it,” MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said when asked about the remarks attributed to the US president.
It comes after Trump amplified a post describing India, China and other countries as ‘hellholes’ as he criticised birthright citizenship in the US.
A US embassy spokesperson then quickly moved to contain the fallout highlighting solid US-India ties and adding that Trump had praised India’s leadership.
Maritime Safety and Indian Nationals
Randhir Jaiswal went on to confirm that Indian nationals were among the crew of vessels affected by recent incidents involving Iran, and confirmed they were safe and in contact with authorities.
“So, just to say that in these two ships which were fired [at], they are foreign-owned. There are some Indian nationals on them, on board these ships. They are safe,” he stated while calling for unimpeded navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.
He added that India continued to monitor maritime developments closely and was in contact with Iranian authorities, noting that “10 Indian vessels have safely exited the Strait of Hormuz in recent weeks,” while “14 Indian ships remain in the Persian Gulf.”
On maritime security, he reiterated India’s position, calling for “unimpeded access and transit rights for commercial shipping” through the key waterway.
Escalating Middle East Tensions
Tensions escalated in the Middle East after the US and Israel launched a joint military operation against Iran on February 28. Tehran responded with strikes on Israeli territory and US interests in the region, with interceptions reported in several Gulf countries.
On April 8, the US and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire following five and a half weeks of fighting – and a global energy crisis surrounding the Strait of Hormuz. Both sides have accused each other of violating the truce.
Talks were held in Islamabad on April 11-12 with no breakthrough. A second round was initially set to take place but failed to materialise. Trump unilaterally extended the ceasefire until Iran comes up with a ‘unified proposal’ but also announced that the US will continue the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.\
Article by Viory
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