Jaishankar discusses West Asia crisis with German, South Korean counterparts

New Delhi: External Affairs minister S Jaishankar on Tuesday spoke to his German and South Korean counterparts as New Delhi ramps up diplomatic efforts to navigate the fallout of the West Asia crisis, especially on the energy supplies.

Global oil and gas prices have surged after Iran virtually blocked the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow shipping lane between the Persian Gulf and

the Gulf of Oman, that handles roughly 20 per cent of global oil and LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas).

Following his conversation with German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul,

Jaishankar said the ongoing conflict in West Asia was discussed.

“Exchanged views with FM @JoWadephul of Germany on the ongoing conflict in West Asia,” he said on social media.

Jaishankar said he and South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun discussed the situation in West Asia, including its implications on the energy sector.

“Discussed advancing our bilateral agenda. As also the situation in West Asia, including its energy implications,” the external affairs minister said.

In a post on X, Cho hoped that this year’s high-level exchanges would elevate Korea-India relations to a new level.

South Korean President Lee Jae-Myung is expected to visit India within next two months.

“Minister Jaishankar agreed and said we should work together to expand strategic economic cooperation between Korea and India,

which has significant potential and strong complementarity,” Cho said.

“We also discussed the situation in the Middle East, which is having a major impact on global security and the economy, and agreed to maintain close communication on measures to ensure the safety of our nationals as the situation develops,” he said.

Earlier on Monday, Jaishankar said that Iran had sought India’s permission for three of its ships to dock at Indian ports and the approval was granted the next day, amid tensions in the Indian Ocean region following the sinking of an Iranian warship by the US last week.