India has received urgent requests from Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives for supplies of petroleum products, particularly diesel, amid escalating disruptions in global fuel markets.

These pleas come as the ongoing conflict in West Asia—sparked by hostilities between the US-Israel alliance and Iran—threatens to choke off key shipping lanes and refine critical energy flows.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson, Randhir Jaiswal, confirmed the developments during a briefing in New Delhi on Thursday. Bangladesh, grappling with acute shortages of petrol and diesel, has already benefited from Indian exports delivered via waterways, rail, and the dedicated India-Bangladesh Friendship Pipeline.

India stands as a major exporter of refined petroleum to its neighbourhood, with diesel shipments to Bangladesh forming a cornerstone of this trade. Jaiswal emphasised that while supplies will continue, decisions hinge on India's domestic availability, refining capacity, and strategic priorities.

Similar appeals have poured in from Sri Lanka and the Maldives, underscoring the ripple effects of the West Asian turmoil on South Asia's energy security. These nations, heavily reliant on imported fuels, face mounting pressures as global supply chains falter.

The India-Bangladesh Friendship Pipeline (IBFP), inaugurated in 2018 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and then-Bangladesh Premier Sheikh Hasina, exemplifies bilateral energy cooperation. Operated from Assam's Numaligarh Refinery Limited, it boasts a capacity of 1 million metric tonnes per annum (MMTPA) of high-speed diesel (HSD).

Numaligarh has supplied petroleum to Bangladesh commercially since 2015, with recent deliveries including 5,000 tonnes crossing the Parbatipur border just yesterday. Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC) Chairman Muhammad Rezanur Rahman highlighted this as a vital lifeline amid the shortages.

Government sources in India portray these exports as routine commercial transactions, integral to longstanding energy ties. Yet, the MEA's cautious stance signals a balancing act: supporting neighbours without compromising India's own needs.

In parallel, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar has engaged in three recent conversations with his Iranian counterpart. Their latest discussion focused on safeguarding shipping routes and bolstering India's energy security, though Jaiswal deemed further details premature.

This episode highlights India's growing role as a regional energy anchor, leveraging its refining prowess—bolstered by entities like Indian Oil Corporation and private players—to navigate geopolitical storms. As West Asian tensions persist, New Delhi's Neighbourhood First policy faces a real-time test.

ANI