New Delhi, April 10 (NationPress) The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) announced on Friday that India is actively observing the dynamics unfolding in West Asia and is maintaining communication with Gulf countries.

During an inter-ministerial briefing regarding the latest developments in West Asia held in New Delhi, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal conveyed that India is focused on enhancing its energy security while also extending assistance to neighboring countries as they request help to satisfy their energy demands.

"We are attentively tracking the situation in West Asia. We continue to engage with nations in the Gulf region. Following the directives of the Prime Minister, our ministers have embarked on visits to Gulf nations to bolster energy security. Currently, the External Affairs Minister is in Mauritius and is set to travel to the UAE on April 11th and 12th, 2026, where he will engage with UAE leaders to strengthen India-UAE relations. In addition to enhancing our energy security, we are also offering support to our neighboring nations as per their requests," Jaiswal remarked.

He further stated, "Recently, we provided 38 metric tonnes of petroleum products to Sri Lanka. We are in the process of finalizing a government-to-government agreement for oil and gas supply, which is crucial for reinforcing Mauritius's energy security. Leaders from both nations have expressed gratitude towards Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi for his support during the West Asia crisis."

Jaiswal also referenced Union Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri's current trip to Qatar, where he has met with the country's leadership to deliver Prime Minister Narendra Modi's message of solidarity.

"Our Minister of Petroleum is visiting Qatar on April 9th and 10th. Presently, he is in Qatar, a vital energy supplier to India. He has been engaging with his Qatari counterpart... Our Minister relayed greetings and a message of support from the Prime Minister to His Highness the Emir of Qatar and the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Qatar. The Qatar Energy Minister affirmed Qatar's dedication to being a dependable energy supplier and expressed eagerness to continue and enhance energy relations and collaboration with India," the MEA spokesperson added.

In the briefing, Jaiswal expressed India's "deep concern" regarding the reports of civilian casualties in Lebanon, stating that the unfolding events are quite alarming. He called for compliance with international law and respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of nations.

"We are very concerned about the reports detailing numerous civilian casualties in Lebanon. As a contributor of troops to UNIFIL, which is committed to Lebanon's peace and security, the trajectory of these events is quite troubling. India has consistently prioritized the protection of civilians. It is crucial to adhere to international law and respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of nations. Our Embassy in Lebanon is in close contact with the Indian community to ensure their safety and security," Jaiswal stated.

According to the MEA spokesperson, there are approximately 1,000 Indian nationals currently residing in Lebanon.

His remarks follow the initiation of a two-week ceasefire between the United States and Iran on Wednesday, with peace negotiations set to commence on Saturday. However, Israel has indicated that this ceasefire does not extend to military actions in Lebanon.

On April 8, the Israeli Prime Minister's Office expressed support for the U.S. decision to halt strikes on Iran, but it noted that the two-week truce does not include military operations in Lebanon.

Shortly after the temporary truce was announced between the U.S. and Iran, Israel claimed to have dealt Hezbollah a significant blow by attacking "100 targets in 10 minutes," with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insisting that Lebanon was not part of the ceasefire agreement.