Can Israel-Iran conflict wreck India's Economy?
The escalating warfare between Israel and Iran is sending tremors far beyond West Asia, with India bracing for significant economic and strategic consequences. Following Israel's deadliest aerial assault on Iran on 13th June 2025 and Iran's swift ballistic retaliation targeting Tel Aviv and Haifa, the conflict threatens to disrupt India's vital economic lifelines. Energy Security Under Threat
India's heavy reliance on crude oil imports—over 80% of its needs—makes it particularly vulnerable to disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint now shadowed by Iranian warships. Brent crude has already surged 9%, whilst Indian oil giants BPCL, HPCL, and Indian Oil have suffered 3.5% stock losses. The ripple effects could trigger transportation cost increases, manufacturing slowdowns, rupee depreciation, and a widening fiscal deficit—all hampering India's post-COVID economic recovery.advertisementTrade Corridors at RiskIndia's basmati rice exports to Iran, worth over 6,374 crore in 2024-25, face severe disruption as Iranian buyers delay payments beyond 180 days. The broader India-Israel trade relationship, valued at $10.1 billion across defence, agri-tech, and AI sectors, now operates under security scrutiny. Most critically, India's $85 million investment in Iran's Chabahar Port—designed to unlock Central Asian markets—faces an uncertain future as the facility becomes a potential target.Digital VulnerabilityPerhaps most surprisingly, 95% of India's international data traffic flows through undersea cables routed via the Middle East. Previous disruptions to major cables in the Red Sea have already caused bandwidth chaos, threatening India's $245 billion digital economy. With Mumbai, Chennai, and Kochi serving as key cable landing zones, a single break could slash regional bandwidth by 70%.advertisementStrategic Partnerships in JeopardyIndia's defence relationship with Israel, including purchases of Heron Mark-2 drones and Harop munitions, now carries diplomatic risks. The Adani Group's $1.2 billion acquisition of Haifa Port—a cornerstone of the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC)—finds itself in a city under missile attack.As India navigates this crisis, the conflict underscores a harsh reality: in an interconnected world, neutrality offers no immunity from regional wars that threaten global supply chains and economic stability. Must Watch
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Time of India
36 minutes ago
- Time of India
Operation Sindhu: First rescue flight carrying 110 Indian students lands in Delhi; evacuated from war-hit Iran via Armenia
Over 100 students boarding flight to leave Iran NEW DELHI: The first evacuation flight carrying 110 Indian citizens, as part of Operation Sindhu, landed in New Delhi from Yerevan, Armenia, on Thursday, amid the escalating military conflict between Iran and Israel. India launched Operation Sindhu, a mission aimed at ensuring the safety and evacuation of Indian nationals from Iran. The ministry of external affairs confirmed that Indian students residing in Tehran were safely evacuated from the city through coordination by the Indian Embassy. "Indian students in Tehran have been moved out of the city for safety reasons through arrangements made by the Indian Embassy," stated the ministry in their official communication. The Indian students left Zvartnots International Airport in Yerevan via a special flight at 14:55 IST on June 18, with their expected arrival in New Delhi during the early hours of June 19. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal announced through Twitter, "Operation Sindhu begins. India launched Operation Sindhu to evacuate Indian nationals from Iran. India evacuated 110 students from northern Iran who crossed into Armenia under the supervision of our Missions in Iran and Armenia on 17th June. They departed from Yerevan on a special flight and will arrive in New Delhi in the early hours of 19th June 2025. India accords the highest priority to the safety and security of her nationals abroad." The Indian authorities expressed appreciation to Iranian and Armenian governments for their support in the evacuation process. The MEA stated in an official release that the Indian Embassy in Iran has been supporting numerous Indian nationals to relocate from conflict-affected regions to safer locations within Iran, while arranging their subsequent evacuation through available options. The ministry emphasised its commitment to protecting Indian citizens abroad and advised those remaining in Iran to maintain contact with the Indian Embassy in Tehran and the MEA's round-the-clock Control Room in New Delhi. Emergency contacts: Embassy of India in Tehran Call only: +98 9128109115, +98 9128109109 WhatsApp: +98 901044557, +98 9015993320, +91 8086871709 Regional Contacts: Bandar Abbas: +98 9177699036, Zahedan: +98 9396356649 Email: 24x7 Control Room, MEA, New Delhi Toll-free: 800118797 Landlines: +91-11-23012113, +91-11-23014104, +91-11-23017905 WhatsApp: +91-9968291988 Email: situationroom@ Additional phases of Operation Sindhu are anticipated to proceed as developments occur.
Hindustan Times
40 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Ludhiana: 1.7L voters to lock nominees' fate today
As many as 1.74 lakh voters in Ludhiana West will exercise their right to franchise on Thursday in the by-election which has 14 candidates in fray. The bypoll comes after 20 days of campaigning and will be followed by the counting of votes on June 23. The election is expected to witness a tight four-cornered contest among the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), the Congress, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD). AAP has nominated Sanjeev Arora, a sitting Rajya Sabha MP and prominent industrialist, whose declared assets, including those of his spouse, amount to ₹301 crore. This makes him the richest candidate in the recent Punjab elections. Arora's candidature has triggered criticism from Opposition leaders who allege that he was made to contest merely to secure a Rajya Sabha seat for Arvind Kejriwal. The Congress has placed its hopes on Bharat Bhushan Ashu, a seasoned politician, former cabinet minister and two-time MLA. The BJP has fielded Jiwan Gupta, a local leader and the party's general secretary, who is contesting his first election. Similarly, the SAD has nominated advocate Parupkar Singh Ghumman, who is known for offering free legal aid to the poor. Both Gupta and Ghumman are debutants in the electoral arena. The by-election was necessitated due to the unfortunate death of AAP MLA Gurpreet Gogi in an accidental firing incident in January. Since the formation of the Ludhiana West seat in 1977, the constituency has witnessed 10 elections. The Congress has won six of these, SAD two, while AAP and the former Janata Party have secured victory once each. In 2022, AAP's Gogi defeated Congress' Ashu, marking AAP's first win from this constituency. The district administration has made extensive preparations to ensure a smooth polling process. District electoral officer and deputy commissioner Himanshu Jain has confirmed that all 194 polling stations will be equipped with masks, sanitizers, tents, fans, drinking water, wheelchairs and ramps to facilitate voters. Strict Covid-19 safety measures will be in place and polling will be closely monitored through webcasting to maintain transparency. In an innovative move, the Election Commission of India has introduced a mobile phone deposit facility at every polling booth this time. Special arrangements have also been made to encourage inclusive voting. A women-staffed polling station has been set up at Lodhi Club in Rajguru Nagar. Persons with disabilities (PwDs) will manage a polling station at BVM School in Kitchlu Nagar, while a green polling station has been established inside the PAU campus at the Government Senior Secondary School. Ten model polling booths have also been created to showcase ideal voting conditions. Additionally, the 'Vote from Home' initiative has been launched for senior citizens and voters with disabilities. On the eve of the election, 194 polling teams departed from Khalsa College for Women in GPS-enabled vehicles to reach their designated locations. Security arrangements have also been tightened in the constituency. Additional deputy commissioner of police (operations) Ramandeep Singh Bhullar stated that 60 checkpoints have been established and 19 patrol teams are actively monitoring the area. There are also 21 flying squads and nine strategic surveillance teams in place. More than 1,000 police personnel will be deployed on election day to ensure law and order. Historically, Ludhiana West has recorded strong voter turnouts. Since 1977, voter participation has consistently stayed above 55%. In 2012, 2017 and 2022, the voter turnout crossed the 60% mark, reaching close to 70% in 2012 and 2017. The political stakes are high, particularly for AAP, which is looking to recover from its recent defeat in the Delhi assembly elections, where even party leader Arvind Kejriwal lost his seat. Arora, contesting his first assembly election after being nominated to the Rajya Sabha, is seen as a key figure in AAP's plan to regain ground. Congress' Bharat Bhushan Ashu is aiming for a comeback after losing in 2022 and spending over a year in jail following a corruption case. Though the high court quashed the charges against him, internal rifts within the party may affect his prospects. The SAD, once a dominant player in Punjab politics, is attempting to rebuild its influence after two successive electoral defeats in 2017 and 2022. The party is banking on Ghumman's clean image and social work to strike a chord with voters, but it faces an uphill battle to regain relevance. Meanwhile, the BJP is trying to gain foothold in Punjab. The party performed strongly in Ludhiana West during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, where it secured the highest number of votes in the segment, pushing AAP to a distant third. Its candidate Jiwan Gupta, a local resident, hopes to ride on this momentum to achieve victory in his maiden electoral contest.
Time of India
41 minutes ago
- Time of India
Three-language policy part of NEP, Maha can't opt out of it, says CM
Pune: CM Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday said the three-language policy, under which the state govt had earlier decided to make Hindi compulsory in all schools, was part of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 which is being implemented across the country and Maharashtra cannot opt out of it. He said govt has now withdrawn the Hindi compulsion, and students would be allowed to choose any Indian language — not just Hindi — as their third language. "If students want to learn another language, govt will ensure a dedicated teacher is appointed. If the numbers are few, we will facilitate online classes," Fadnavis told reporters. On MNS chief Raj Thackeray's criticism of the new govt resolution, Fadnavis said he has explained the situation to him, reiterating that the three-language system stems from the NEP formed after three years of expert consultations and response to the language preference debate, Fadnavis said, "I fail to understand why we promote English and hesitate to embrace our own languages. Indian languages are far better than English. " He said Tamil Nadu approached the court against the three-language system, but their plea was rejected. "Our govt resolution clearly mentioned that Marathi is compulsory for all schools, and there are no alternatives to it, but there are alternatives to Hindi," he said. Fadnavis said it was because of NEP that students can now pursue engineering, MBBS, or MBA in Marathi. "NEP opened the way to make Marathi a global language for knowledge and economy, hence Maharashtra adopted it. It is not right to make it a controversy. There is nothing wrong in learning three languages as it will only increase knowledge of children," he added. At a press meet in Mumbai, school education minister Dada Bhuse said the three-language policy is already being followed in schools of other mediums, but was not yet implemented in Marathi medium schools.
