Modi and Macron discuss Hormuz crisis ahead of Paris conference
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron held a phone call on Thursday to address the escalating crisis in West Asia, focusing on the urgent need to restore freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. The strategic waterway, critical for global energy supplies, has been largely closed to international shipping since late February, disrupting oil and gas flows.
The call came at Macron’s initiative on the eve of a virtual Franco British conference scheduled in Paris, aimed at coordinating an international response to the blockade. Modi said both leaders agreed on the urgency of restoring maritime security and pledged continued cooperation to promote stability in the region. The planned conference is expected to bring together non belligerent countries to support what France has described as a defensive multilateral effort to reopen the strait once conditions allow.
The crisis intensified after Iran moved to block the Strait of Hormuz following US and Israeli airstrikes on Iranian targets on February 28. Before the disruption, roughly a quarter of global seaborne oil trade and one fifth of liquefied natural gas shipments passed through the strait. Since then, Iran’s Revolutionary Guard has carried out attacks on commercial vessels and reportedly deployed naval mines, forcing major shipping companies to halt operations and reducing tanker traffic to near zero.
Tensions escalated further when the United States imposed a naval blockade on Iran on April 13. Although a fragile ceasefire between Washington and Tehran is currently in place, broader regional conflict continues, including fighting in Lebanon. The situation has heightened concerns over global energy security and the stability of maritime trade routes.
The exchange between Modi and Macron follows earlier discussions between the two leaders in March, reflecting ongoing coordination between India and France. India relies heavily on energy imports routed through the Strait of Hormuz, while France has taken a leading role in pushing for a European backed multilateral framework to secure maritime navigation and prevent further escalation.
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