New Delhi, April 5 (ANI) — Former Indian Ambassador to the UAE Sanjay Sudhir has warned that the closure of the Strait of Hormuz is no longer only an energy problem but a direct threat to food security for millions, including roughly 10 million Indians living in the Gulf.
Sudhir told ANI that the strait is the primary maritime route for food exports to the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and for supplies destined for the Indian diaspora. While some goods are being moved by cargo airlift, he said that is not a sustainable alternative and “the Strait of Hormuz has to open.”
His remarks came amid heightened U.S.-Iran tensions after U.S. President Donald Trump issued a 48-hour ultimatum to Tehran, demanding it “make a deal” or face unilateral action to reopen the strait — a warning accompanied by the phrase that “all hell will rain down.” The administration indicated that renewed strikes could target Iran’s energy and command infrastructure. That deadline was reported to expire on Monday, April 6.
Sudhir cautioned that traditional groupings such as the G7, NATO or BRICS have limited leverage in the present crisis because of “the nature of the combatants,” and said India must pursue proactive diplomacy to secure energy supplies and protect its diaspora. He specifically urged measures to mitigate a “disproportionate hit” to LPG supplies and to prevent food shortages among Indians residing in the Gulf.
On recent military actions, Sudhir said India would not have supported the joint U.S.-Israeli strikes on February 28, 2026 — which, he said, resulted in the death of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei — and described the unfolding situation as one New Delhi must manage in line with its national interests rather than as a conflict of its making.
The sharp rhetoric has alarmed international observers. Former IAEA Director General Mohamed ElBaradei issued an “urgent appeal” on X, urging Gulf leaders and the U.N. to intervene before the region is “turned into a ball of fire.”
(Report sourced from ANI.)
