Prolonged Gulf Tensions Test India’s Trade, Energy, and BRICS Role
India's energy security faces unprecedented strain as Gulf tensions escalate, with Brent crude surpassing $80 per barrel and the Strait of Hormuz—a critical chokepoint for global oil supply—effectively paralyzed. Nearly half of India’s oil imports typically transit this route, yet current traffic has dwindled to a trickle: just three tankers carrying 2.8 million barrels crossed on March 1, compared to a daily average of 20 million barrels earlier in 2026. Over 700 vessels now idle on either side of the strait.
The crisis exposes India’s fragile buffer of 100 million barrels in strategic reserves, covering barely 40 days of Hormuz-dependent supply. QatarEnergy’s force majeure declaration after a drone strike on Ras Laffan—a source of 39% of India’s imports—further tightens the vise. Remittances, airspace access, and diplomatic leverage are collateral damage as New Delhi navigates its BRICS leadership amid the turmoil.
