Page 8 - West Asia

Reckoning in West Asia

Too soon to assume that the Israel-Iran crisis is over

Expect India to play role in bringing stability in West Asia: Israeli envoy

Israel is "strong and resilient" and, if needed, it will "confront Iran" after the recent attack, the Israeli envoy here asserted on Monday and said India should play a role in bringing stability in the West Asia region. In an interview to PTI at the Israeli Embassy here, the country's ambassador to India Naor Gilon said that Israeli defence forces with the support of the US and "other friends in the region" were able to "intercept 99 per cent" of the UAVs and missiles fired by Iranians. However, there was "minor damage" suffered at Nevatim air base in the attack late Saturday, he said. With Iran's attack on Israel triggering the spectre of a wider conflict in West Asia, India on Sunday said it is seriously concerned over the escalating hostilities between the two sides and called for an immediate halt to violence and return to the path of diplomacy. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar held separate telephonic conversations with his Iranian and Israeli counterparts and underline

Fuelling tensions: West Asian conflict reveals India's oil vulnerability

Iran attacked Israel after an airstrike by Jerusalem on April 1 on an Iranian embassy compound in Damascus killed an Iranian general and six officers

Conflict in West Asia: Iran's attack on Israel raises fears of wider war

The unprecedented attack by Iran on Israel early Sunday ratcheted up regional tensions, confirming long-held fears about the Israel-Hamas war spiraling into a broader conflagration. But Iran, Israel, the United States and Hamas also walked away with some gains. Here's a look at the fallout. ISRAEL'S RESPONSE COULD RESTORE FAITH IN ITS MILITARY As more than 300 drones and missiles headed toward Israel in the early hours of Sunday, the country was able to successfully put to the test its aerial defense array, which, along with help from allies, blocked 99 per cent of the projectiles and prevented any major damage. By contrast, Israel's military had suffered a bruising defeat at the hands of a far less equipped enemy when Hamas stormed from Gaza into Israel on October 7. That was a major blow to Israel's image as a regional military powerhouse and shattered any sense of invincibility. The response to Iran's attack could be what restores faith in the country's military, even as its for

Indian Embassy in Trehan issues helpline numbers amid tensions in region

The Indian embassy in Israel issued a fresh important advisory' for its nationals after the overnight attacks by Iran

West Asia tensions: AI, Vistara opt for alternative paths for flights

Amid escalating tensions in the Middle East, Air India, and Vistara on Saturday said they have decided to opt for alternative flight paths for some of its flights to and from India. On Friday, India asked its citizens not to travel to Israel and Iran amid increasing fears that Tehran may launch an attack on Israeli soil in retaliation to a strike on the Iranian consulate in Syria 11 days ago. While Air India and Vistara did not elaborate on the alternative flight paths, two persons in the know said carriers are avoiding the Iranian airspace while flying to destinations in the West. "We are closely monitoring the developing situation in the Middle East. Presently, our aircraft will operate on alternative flight paths to and from India, according top priority to the safety of our passengers and crew," an Air India spokesperson said in a statement. Air India is the only Indian carrier that operates flights to Israel. It has four weekly flights connecting Delhi and Tel Aviv. In a ...

Yemen's Houthis rebels target four vessels in Gulf of Aden, says spokesman

The Iran-aligned group attacked "MSC Darwin ship, MSC GINA, MV Yorktown" along with the U.S. destroyer, the group's military spokesman Yahya Sarea said in a televised speech

India distressed at escalating tensions in West Asia: Randhir Jaiswal

India on Thursday expressed concern over the deadly attack on Iranian diplomatic premises in Syrian capital Damascus three days back and said that it is distressed at the escalating tensions in West Asia and their potential to fuel further instability. Following the April 1 attack, Iran accused Israel for the strike and vowed to respond to it. Iranian media reported that seven Revolutionary Guards personnel, including two generals, were killed in the attack. "We have noted with concern the attack on Iranian diplomatic premises in Syria on April 1. India is distressed at the escalating tensions in West Asia, and their potential to fuel further violence and instability," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said. "We urge all parties to avoid actions that go against commonly accepted principles and norms of international law," he said. Jaiswal's remarks came in response to a query on the attack. The strike came amid Israel's continuing military operations in ...

Underlying fact is that Palestinians have been denied homeland: Jaishankar

Hamas launched a horrific terror attack in Israel on October 7 killing more than 1200 people and holding more than 250 people as hostages, out of which over 100 are still in captivity

Gensol Engineering appoints Kapil Nirmal as CEO of West Asia business

Solar energy solutions provider Gensol Engineering has appointed Kapil K Nirmal as CEO - Middle East to lead its solar EPC (engineering procurement construction) business operations in the region. In his new role, Nirmal will spearhead the region's expansion for Gensol navigating market complexities, ensuring sustainable growth, and establishing Gensol as a prominent player in the Middle East solar PV sector, according to a statement on Wednesday. He has over 18 years of experience in business development, new market establishments, and avenues, having held several positions across top organisations like Emirates Electrical Engineering LLC, Al Rostamani Group, Siraj Power Contracting LLC and Amplus Energy Solutions. He is an alumnus of the University of Cambridge and IIM Calcutta. Gensol has a distinguished track record of over 600 MW in diverse solar projects, including rooftop, ground-mounted, and floating installations across India.

PM Modi calls Belgian counterpart; discusses West Asia, Ukraine peace

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday spoke with his Belgian counterpart Alexander De Croo and agreed to enhance cooperation and support for early restoration of peace and security in West Asia and the Russia-Ukraine conflict. During the telephone call, Modi also congratulated De Croo on the successful hosting of the First Nuclear Energy Summit in Brussels last week. After the conversation, Modi tweeted, "Spoke to Belgium PM @alexanderdecroo. Congratulated him on the success of the First Nuclear Energy Summit in Brussels. Exchanged views on strengthening bilateral ties; advancing India-EU Partnership under Belgian Presidency; and cooperation on regional and global issues." De Croo also put out a tweet saying, "Called prime minister @narendramodi to discuss the conflicts in #Ukraine & #Gaza and protecting shipping lanes in the Red Sea. We also talked about our growing commercial relations #semiconductors #pharmaceuticals #greenhydrogen and the upcoming royal trade mission to ...

L&T wins Rs 5,000 crore major onshore gas pipeline project in West Asia

This is the largest cross-country pipeline EPC (Engineering, Procurement, and Construction) project awarded to us to date, said Subramanian Sarma, whole-time director and senior executive vice prez

Reorienting policy towards West Asia, chasing the Hindu vote at home

India's alignment with the US-Israel axis, especially after October 7, has been difficult for the Arab world to swallow. Hence, the pressure felt by India to modify its international stance

US, French military shoot down Houthi drones after attack on warships

The Houthis have been attacking ships in the Red Sea since November in what they say is a campaign of solidarity with Palestinians during the war in Gaza

India beats rivals in West Asia private capital deals since 2020: Reports

India accounted for more than half of all Asia deals with West Asia investors and 58% of the capital invested in Asia during the period, outpacing China and Southeast Asia

Palestinian death toll in Gaza surpasses 30,000 as strike kills dozens

The Gaza Health Ministry said on Thursday that over 30,000 Palestinians have been killed since the start of the Israel-Hamas war nearly five months ago, as a strike on a crowd of people waiting for aid in Gaza City killed and wounded dozens, according to local hospital officials. Gaza City and the rest of northern Gaza were the first targets of Israel's air, sea and ground offensive launched in response to Hamas' October 7 attack. The area has suffered widespread devastation and has been largely isolated from the rest of the territory for months, with little aid entering. Aid groups say it has become nearly impossible to deliver humanitarian assistance in most of Gaza, in part because of the crowds of desperate people who overwhelm aid convoys. The UN says a quarter of Gaza's 2.3 million Palestinians face starvation. Dr. Jadallah Shafai, the head of the nursing department at Shifa Hospital, told the Al Jazeera network that around 50 people were killed and 250 wounded. He did not ...

G20 finance leaders eye regional 'conflicts' in tight draft communique

"Risks to the global economic outlook are more balanced," with faster-than-expected disinflation and more growth-friendly fiscal consolidation underpinning growth, the draft said

Used AI to help find targets for airstrikes in West Asia, says Pentagon

Machine learning algorithms that can teach themselves to identify objects helped to narrow down targets for more than 85 US air strikes on Feb. 2

Kerala leading India's healthcare talent migration to MENA: Report

Kerala leads India's healthcare talent migration to the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, especially to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) which witnessed a 3.3-fold increase in demand in 2023, said a report. Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Andhra Pradesh emerged as the leading states contributing to the migration of healthcare workers, including nurses, doctors, and laboratory technicians, to MENA countries, according to data by blue-collar worker platform Huntr. Migration of healthcare workers from Kerala, in particular, witnessed a notable increase in migration to the UAE, with a 3.3-fold rise in 2023, the report stated. The report is based on data on Huntr platform and employer organisations in the Middle East from 2022 and 2023. It further noted that the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar are the most preferred destinations for Indian healthcare professionals seeking job opportunities. These countries offer attractive incentives, including extended residency visas, financial benefits

Israeli strikes across Gaza kill 67 Palestinians in civilian area overnight

The Al-Aqsa Martyrs hospital in Deir al-Balah says it received 44 bodies after multiple strikes in central Gaza. Associated Press reporters saw the bodies arriving in ambulances and private vehicles