Jaishankar: India Advocates De-escalation in West Asia, Helped 67,000 Indians Return

• External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar stated India advocates de-escalation, restraint, and prioritizes national interests like energy security and trade in the West Asia conflict.
• Two Indian sailors killed, one missing in the region; 67,000 Indians facilitated to return amid spiralling conflict.
• The conflict, involving American and Israeli war on Iran, has impacted Gulf oil refineries, tankers, and halted shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.
• India's three-step approach: peace through dialogue, security of 1 crore Indians in Gulf, and paramount national interests.
• Government used land crossings and commercial/non-scheduled flights for Indian nationals' return from UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait to Oman/Saudi Arabia.