India’s first response to West Asia ceasefire, calls for lasting peace and dialogue

India on Wednesday welcomed the announcement of a ceasefire in West Asia, expressing hope that it would pave the way for lasting peace even as it underscored the need to safeguard global energy supplies and trade routes.

In a statement, the Ministry of External Affairs said, “We welcome the ceasefire reached and hope that it will lead to a lasting peace in West Asia. As we have continuously advocated earlier, deescalation, dialogue and diplomacy are essential to bring an early end to the ongoing conflict.”

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The government highlighted the broader economic and humanitarian fallout of the conflict, noting that disruptions have extended well beyond the immediate region.

“The conflict has already caused immense suffering to people and disrupted global energy supply and trade networks. We expect that unimpeded freedom of navigation and global flow of commerce would prevail through the Strait of Hormuz.”

The Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint for global oil shipments, has remained a focal point of concern for countries dependent on energy imports, including India.

Earlier, US presideny Donald Trump said the decision was influenced by diplomatic engagement involving Pakistan.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump stated, “Based on conversations with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Asim Munir, of Pakistan, and wherein they requested that I hold off the destructive force being sent tonight to Iran, and subject to the Islamic Republic of Iran agreeing to the COMPLETE, IMMEDIATE, and SAFE OPENING of the Strait of Hormuz, I agree to suspend the bombing and attack of Iran for a period of two weeks. This will be a double sided CEASEFIRE!”