India, Qatar push for free flow of global trade

NEW DELHI (TIP):India on Friday, April 10, emphasised the need for “unimpeded freedom” of navigation and the smooth flow of global commerce to sustain supply chains, as Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri held high-level talks in Qatar amid ongoing tensions in West Asia. During his two-day visit to Doha, Puri met Qatar’s Minister of State for Energy Affairs and President and CEO of QatarEnergy Saad Sherida Al-Kaabi with discussions focusing on energy security, bilateral cooperation and regional stability. Qatar reiterated its position as a reliable energy partner, with Al-Kaabi assuring continued cooperation and supply commitments to India, a major energy importer. The visit assumes significance against the backdrop of heightened geopolitical tensions impacting global oil flows and supply chains, with India closely monitoring developments in key transit routes such as the Strait of Hormuz. Both sides welcomed the recently announced two-week ceasefire and stressed the importance of an early end to disruptions in global energy supplies. They underlined that ensuring free movement of shipping, particularly through critical routes, remained essential for maintaining stability in international markets.