The Middle East energy crisis has moved from a short disruption into a longer test of global supply resilience. Crude remains above $100 a barrel while pressure is building across the Strait of Hormuz, the Bab el-Mandeb route and Saudi Arabia's East-West pipeline.
That matters for India because the country imports most of its crude oil. A prolonged period of expensive energy can raise the import bill, widen the current-account deficit, put pressure on the rupee and feed inflation through transport, manufacturing and fertiliser costs.
The policy question is therefore no longer just how to absorb one price spike. India may need to manage a longer period of volatility through diversified sourcing, strategic reserves, fiscal calibration and faster substitution where feasible.
