By Sanxuan

War in the Middle East, India suffers.

Like Japan and South Korea, India is a country highly dependent on energy imports. Specifically, India's oil mainly comes from Russia and the Middle East, and over 90% of its liquefied natural gas comes from the Middle East.

Indian villagers queue up to buy gas

Previously, under pressure from the United States, India had no choice but to give up cheap and abundant Russian oil. Now, due to the conflict in the Middle East, India's natural gas imports have also been blocked, adding to the misfortune.

The most ironic part is that after the global oil supply has sharply decreased due to the war in the Middle East, the United States has temporarily exempted Russian oil exports and allowed India to continue purchasing Russian oil. However, now international oil prices have soared, and Russian oil prices have also risen, making it impossible for India to enjoy the previous discounts.

They didn't let you buy when it was cheap, and now they encourage you to buy when it's expensive. The United States really treats India like a naive buyer. U.S. Treasury Secretary Bensinger even openly joked on a program, saying that India "cooperated very well," doing whatever the U.S. told them to do. It's unknown what Modi would think about this.

Indian Prime Minister Modi

Compared to oil, India is facing greater pressure from the shortage of natural gas. Although oil can still be bought from Russia, although it is more expensive, it is not unattainable. Natural gas, however, cannot find an alternative supplier in a short time.

Currently, the natural gas crisis in India has affected daily life. In many parts of India, people are queuing up to fight for natural gas, even resorting to physical fights. People have no choice but to use traditional fuels like firewood to make do.

At the same time, hotels with some natural gas reserves have become the "treasure" in everyone's eyes. In Kerala, the backup gas pipe of a hotel was stolen, containing 19 kilograms of gas.

This scene reminds one of last year's Japan, where rice theft incidents occurred in many places due to a "rice shortage," forcing some shops to install GPS on rice bags. If India's "natural gas shortage" lasts longer, gas cylinders might also need GPS devices.

War in the Middle East burns into Indian kitchens

For hotels without sufficient natural gas reserves, the only option is to close down. In Mumbai, over 20% of hotels have been forced to suspend operations because the price of gas pipes on the black market has exceeded 3,000 rupees, which is approximately 223.5 yuan in RMB.

Restaurants are also affected. Cooking food requires a large amount of natural gas. Some restaurants have had to temporarily suspend their delivery services to prioritize in-house dining.

Ordinary citizens are buying electric stoves in preparation for any eventuality. After all, no matter when, eating is always the first priority, and ensuring that the kitchen can be used is essential.

It is worth mentioning that according to Indian sources, negotiations with Iran have made some progress. A few Indian ships have been allowed to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, and India is seeking to allow more stranded ships to pass through.

Strait of Hormuz

But this is not a long-term solution. As long as the war in the Middle East continues, the Strait of Hormuz will not be fully open, and India's natural gas crisis will persist.

In the context of globalization, regional conflicts are no longer internal affairs, but affect every corner of the world. Especially in regions like the Middle East, which hold important strategic significance, the title of "powder keg" is not given in vain.

Although India may seem unrelated to the Middle East, the war there has actually burned into the kitchens of Indian citizens. Moreover, after the war broke out in the Middle East, India did not condemn the perpetrator, but instead placed excessive blame on the victims, which clearly contradicts the so-called "great power responsibility."



Original article: toutiao.com/article/7618492000697991716/

Statement: This article represents the views of the author.