‘Considering Bangladesh’s call for fuel’

India is considering requests from Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives for supplies of diesel and refined petroleum products amid the ongoing war in the Middle East, which has disrupted the oil supply globally.

“We have received a request from the government of Bangladesh for the supply of diesel, which is being examined,” Randhir Jaiswal, spokesperson for the Indian external affairs ministry, told a media briefing yesterday, reports Indian newspaper The Hindu Businessline.

While diesel exports to Bangladesh have largely continued since 2017, India’s refining capacity, its own requirements and diesel availability will be factored in while taking decisions, he said.

On Wednesday, Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku, minister for power, energy, and mineral resources, told reporters that Dhaka has written to New Delhi seeking additional fuel from India.

He added that fuel oil is imported from India through a pipeline and that, in the current emergency situation, Dhaka is seeking to increase supply through it. The decision on how much the supply can be increased will be made by India.

“If the war in the Middle East is prolonged, it may disrupt the import of fuel oil. Therefore, to ensure imports as per demand, the government is seeking new sources outside existing agreements,” Tuku told reporters after a meeting with Indian High Commissioner Pranay Verma on Wednesday.

Following the US-Israeli attacks on Iran, shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has been severely disrupted amid Iranian threats, attacks on vessels, and reports of mines in the waterway. This has effectively choked one of the world’s most vital energy corridors.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar is also in touch with his Iranian counterpart, Seyed Abbas Araghchi, and has been discussing matters related to the safety of shipping and India’s energy security, Jaiswal added.