India on Wednesday welcomed a two-week ceasefire between the US and Iran and called for "de-escalation, dialogue and diplomacy" to ensure lasting peace in West Asia.
New Delhi also expected unimpeded freedom of navigation and global flow of commerce through the Strait of Hormuz, the strategically key waterway between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman that handles roughly 20 percent of global oil and LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas).
"We welcome the ceasefire reached and hope that it will lead to a lasting peace in West Asia. As we have continuously advocated earlier, de-escalation, dialogue and diplomacy are essential to bring an early end to the ongoing conflict," the ministry of external affairs said.
The conflict has already caused immense suffering to people and disrupted global energy supply and trade networks, it said.
"We expect that unimpeded freedom of navigation and global flow of commerce would prevail through the Strait of Hormuz," the MEA said.
India has been calling for the resolution of the conflict in West Asia through dialogue and diplomacy. -- PTI
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