India condemns drone strike on UAE, urges Hormuz access
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Smoke rising in the Fujairah oil industry zone after a drone was intercepted by air defences on March 4. The United Arab Emirates blamed Iran for a drone attack on facilities on May 4.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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NEW DELHI - India condemned a drone strike on an energy facility in Fujairah in which three Indians were injured, urging uninterrupted access to the Strait of Hormuz, the country’s Foreign Ministry said on May 5.
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) blamed Iran for the drone attack on an energy installation on May 4.
Iranian state TV said the Islamic republic had “no pre-planned programme” to attack oil facilities in the UAE.
“We call for immediate cessation of these hostilities and the targeting of civilian infrastructure and innocent civilians,” India’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Randhir Jaiswal said in a statement on May 5.
The South Asian nation is heavily dependent on imported energy, which has been disrupted since the Middle East war began in late February.
India, the world’s third-largest oil buyer, usually sources about half of its crude through the Strait of Hormuz.
“We also call for free and unimpeded navigation and commerce through the Strait of Hormuz in keeping with international law,” Mr Jaiswal added.
“India stands ready to support all efforts for a peaceful resolution of issues.”
India’s heavy import dependence, combined with modest oil reserves compared with major consumers like China, has prompted analysts to warn that the South Asian country could be among the most vulnerable to a sudden oil price hike.
Ship‑tracking and import data show that India has partially plugged the gap by turning to old allies, expanding promising ties and reviving suppliers it had not tapped in years.
The biggest backstop has been Russian crude – a fuel source New Delhi spent much of the past year trying to pivot away from under stiff US tariffs. AFP
