India needs gas, but will they ally with Iran over the US?

Two tankers carrying liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) have been transported from Iran’s Strait of Hormuz to India. Bloomberg reported that the tankers would be:

providing some relief to acute shortages as the war in the Persian Gulf disrupts supply of the cooking fuel.

But, this delivery is quite a surprise given that the US-Israel attack on Iran will test Indian prime minister Narendra Modi’s relationship to the US. For instance, Bloomberg noted that Modi, a Trump and Netanyahu ally, has not directly apologised to Iran for what happened to IRIS Dena.

India leverage oil

Journalist Chay Bowes shared a clip of US Energy Secretary Chris Wright, who thinks Iran probably made a deal with India.

The Financial Times also reported that:

India’s foreign minister S Jaishankar told the FT that negotiations between New Delhi and Tehran which allowed for two Indian-flagged gas tankers to pass through the Strait on Saturday were an example of what diplomacy could bring.

And, there are reports of further talks to arrange the passage of more LPG to pass through the Strait of Hormuz for India:

Cooking oil shortages in India

The US and Israel’s unprovoked attack on Iran had squeezed India’s cooking-gas supplies, as much of the nation relies on LPG for cooking oil.

Agence France-Presse (AFP) reported that restaurants in India were facing shortages of cooking oil and were being encouraged to use coal or wood fired ovens.

Other Indian news sites were reporting similar shortages.

Opposition parties, such as the CPI(M), were reported to have urged Prime Minister Modi to address the shortages and to condemn the US-Israel war on Iran in order to stabilize energy supplies.

Missing apology to Iran

However, despite Modi’s allegiances to the US and Israel, this gas delivery begs the question: will Modi apologise to or advocate for Iran on the world stage?

As the chair of BRICS – Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa – India has not condemned the attack on Iran:

Modi’s supporters are choosing to view his “calculated silence” on the war on Iran as a sign of India’s strength.