Prime Minister Narendra Modi has hinted of a gathering gloom on the global front in relation to the Iran-Israel-US war that has been raging for the past one month. In his monthly Mann Ki Baat address to the nation, the Prime Minister highlighted the fuel crisis that’s gripping the world on account of disruption of the shipping route via the Strait of Hormuz. The scenario has already hurt life in India in multiple ways – and most prominently in relation to the commercial LPG supply and the aviation sector disruptions. Domestic gas distribution is bound to be affected sooner or later, as latest hints are that the war would go on for some more time. The US is now getting set for a ground-level engagement by reaching the initial contingent of over 3000 troops. It is likely that this is to exert additional pressure on Iran to be mindful of the warning ahead. It is also possible that more troops would reach there and take on the Iranian might. The Iranian army has not shown any signs of a demoralization and is perhaps fighting fit despite some casualties at the highest decision-making level. Teheran has warned the US that it should be prepared for taking back body bags by the thousands.
The scenario in India, vis-à-vis the war, is turning grim. Hotels and restaurants across India are facing the heat due to short-supply of commercial LPG cylinders. Many hotels have downed shutters, fully or in part. With the PM making a cautious declaration on the trouble ahead, chances are that the LPG and fuel scenarios could go out of control. If the fuel supply by bunks is affected, this would mean the road traffic would be majorly hit. Not just private transport but even public transport could grind to a halt. Indians largely use two-wheelers and cars for their daily commute for work and business. A paralysis of multiple sectors could be feared if the war lasts longer. The aviation sector is already facing the brunt of the war. International flights remain majorly disrupted and travel plans of hundreds of thousands of the jet-set have gone awry. A sense of uncertainty prevails in the aviation sector, which had only begun recovering from the Covid-19 crisis.
Another major front that requires urgent governmental attention is the likelihood of hoarding and black marketing. Traders by their very nature are bound to take advantage of any war-like situation. When the world has become one community in the glare of Globalization, a war a long distance away from us too could be raising the heat here. While both the central and state governments are seized of these matters, the scope for mischief cannot be discounted. Prices of several items have suddenly increased. Strong governmental intervention is the only way to limit the harm on consumers. It is also important that public transport services are maintained by ensuring adequate supply of fuel to them. Train services too must function in a normal manner, as a matter of first priority, unlike the grim scenario that had engulfed the country during the Covid-crisis.
