New Delhi: India has thanked Azerbaijan for helping evacuate around 200 of its citizens from Iran amid the West Asia war. The gratitude was expressed during a meeting in Baku between Azerbaijan’s Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov and India’s newly appointed Ambassador to Azerbaijan, Abhay Kumar on Wednesday.&nbsp;“We convey our sincere appreciation to the authorities of Azerbaijan for facilitating safe transit of Indian nationals from Iran,” the Indian Embassy in Baku said in a statement. So far, 215 Indians have been evacuated through Azerbaijan–the third largest number after Russian and Chinese citizens.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Met Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov of Azerbaijan today. Presented a copy of my Letter of Credence. Had useful discussions. <a href="https://t.co/SWgg2I7Msi">https://t.co/SWgg2I7Msi</a>&mdash; Amb. Abhay Kumar (@AmbassadorAbhay) <a href="https://twitter.com/AmbassadorAbhay/status/2039341576036778098?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 1, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

&nbsp;&nbsp;Earlier, Ambassador Kumar personally met Indian nationals who had crossed from Iran into Azerbaijan. He enquired about their well-being and reassured them of the embassy’s support. The evacuation comes as war in West Asia has forced many countries to move their citizens out of Iran. The Indian foreign ministry spokesperson Randhir Kumar had also extended thanks of the Indian government to Azerbaijan for the evacuation.&nbsp;Azerbaijan has played a helpful role by allowing safe passage, highlighting practical cooperation between the two nations during a difficult time. The West Asia war dominated the talks between the Indian ambassador and the Azeri Foreign Minister. The Azeri statement said, “Concern was also expressed over the current tensions in the Middle East.”&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">We convey our sincere appreciation to the authorities of Azerbaijan for facilitating safe transit of Indian nationals from Iran.<a href="https://twitter.com/presidentaz?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@presidentaz</a><a href="https://twitter.com/Bayramov_Jeyhun?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@bayramov_jeyhun</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/AzerbaijanMFA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AzerbaijanMFA</a><a href="https://twitter.com/MEAIndia?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MEAIndia</a>&mdash; India in Azerbaijan (@indembassybaku) <a href="https://twitter.com/indembassybaku/status/2038588653782606262?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 30, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;During the meeting, both sides agreed that a new mechanism of political consultations between their foreign ministries would be useful. The format would allow them to discuss areas of cooperation as well as any issues of disagreement in a structured way.&nbsp;“The mechanism of political consultations between the Ministries of Foreign Affairs would be useful in terms of discussing issues of cooperation as well as issues of disagreement between the two countries,” a statement from the Azerbaijani side noted.&nbsp;The two diplomats reviewed the current state and future prospects of bilateral relations. The statement “noted” that the “historical relations between the countries formed the foundation of relations”. They expressed satisfaction with progress in several areas, including direct flights, growing cooperation in tourism, and stronger ties in education. Energy remains an important part of the relationship. Indian company ONGC Videsh holds a stake in Azerbaijan’s major Azeri-Chirag-Guneshli (ACG) oil field and is involved in the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) pipeline. Both sides described this as one of the key directions of their economic ties.&nbsp;Foreign Minister Bayramov congratulated Ambassador Kumar on his new appointment and wished him success. The ambassador thanked Azerbaijan for the warm welcome and said he looked forward to working to “expand relations” in all fields during his tenure.

Azerbaijan has played a helpful role by allowing safe passage, highlighting practical cooperation between the two nations during a difficult time. The West Asia war dominated the talks between the Indian ambassador and the Azeri Foreign Minister.

New Delhi: India has thanked Azerbaijan for helping evacuate around 200 of its citizens from Iran amid the West Asia war. The gratitude was expressed during a meeting in Baku between Azerbaijan’s Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov and India’s newly appointed Ambassador to Azerbaijan, Abhay Kumar on Wednesday. “We convey our sincere appreciation to the authorities of Azerbaijan for facilitating safe transit of Indian nationals from Iran,” the Indian Embassy in Baku said in a statement. So far, 215 Indians have been evacuated through Azerbaijan–the third largest number after Russian and Chinese citizens.

Azerbaijan has played a helpful role by allowing safe passage, highlighting practical cooperation between the two nations during a difficult time. The West Asia war dominated the talks between the Indian ambassador and the Azeri Foreign Minister.

India thanks Azerbaijan for Iran evacuation; both agree to launch political consultations

Several Asian nations are increasing the use of coal in order to cover the energy crunch triggered by the US-Israel war on Iran. The development has triggered warnings from climate experts indicating that coal as dirtiest fossil fuel, which has a devastating environmental impact. They also indicated a wake-up call for governments to invest in renewables, which can offer a more stable supply and are less exposed to price hikes.&nbsp;From Bangladesh to South Korea, governments are attempting to offset declining energy imports, much of which traditionally comes from the Middle East. South Korea has postponed the closure of coal-fired power plants and lifted limits on coal-based power generation, while Thailand has increased output at the country’s largest coal-fired plant. Similarly, the Philippines, after declaring a “national energy emergency”, also plans to increase operations of its coal-fired power plants. In South Asia, India, where coal accounts for nearly 75 per cent of electricity generation, has directed plants to operate at full capacity, while Bangladesh has boosted both coal usage and imports. Countries are scrambling to address shortages, especially of liquefied natural gas (LNG), widely seen as a transition fuel. However, supply disruptions caused by the Strait of Hormuz closure and strikes on Qatar’s LNG facilities have worsened the crisis. Experts also indicated that a major LNG export facility in Qatar is set to exacerbate the shortage and will have a years-long impact on the industry.<h3>Removal of 30 billion cubic meters of LNG</h3>Henning Gloystein, managing director of energy and resources at Eurasia Group, stated that nearly 30 billion cubic meters of LNG have been discarded from global supply chains, of which over 80 per cent is missing in the Indo-Pacific region. He added that the remaining cargoes that crossed the strait before the conflict spiralled will arrive in the next week. “The global market has flipped within four weeks from quite a healthy supply surplus … into a very severe deficit – and that’s going to not just lead to price spikes, but real fuel shortages.” “Those countries that have coal reserves will be [using] that because it’s the fastest, cheapest way to replace LNG,” he said, adding that countries such as India are also increasing their use of renewable energy. Delhi has fast-tracked approvals for setting up wind power projects and battery energy storage systems. Pauline Heinrichs, a climate and energy expert at King’s College London, said the crisis could serve as a critical turning point for governments. “The impact of coal on climate and health outcomes is devastating and disastrous – and we’ve proven that this is the case for many decades. Not only does it worsen climate risks, of course, but the same goes for pollution and for toxicity,” she said.&nbsp;Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/-iran-doesn-t-have-to-make-a-deal-trump-makes-u-turn-on-peace-talks-says-war-could-end-in-two-to-three-weeks-1775007982329">'Iran doesn’t have to...': Trump makes U-turn on peace talks, says war could end in ‘two to three weeks’</a>&nbsp;

South Korea has postponed the closure of coal-fired power plants and lifted limits on coal-based power generation, while Thailand has increased output at the country’s largest coal-fired plant. 

Several Asian nations are increasing the use of coal in order to cover the energy crunch triggered by the US-Israel war on Iran. The development has triggered warnings from climate experts indicating that coal as dirtiest fossil fuel, which has a devastating environmental impact. They also indicated a wake-up call for governments to invest in renewables, which can offer a more stable supply and are less exposed to price hikes. From Bangladesh to South Korea, governments are attempting to offset declining energy imports, much of which traditionally comes from the Middle East. South Korea has postponed the closure of coal-fired power plants and lifted limits on coal-based power generation, while Thailand has increased output at the country’s largest coal-fired plant. Similarly, the Philippines, after declaring a “national energy emergency”, also plans to increase operations of its coal-fired power plants. In South Asia, India, where coal accounts for nearly 75 per cent of electricity generation, has directed plants to operate at full capacity, while Bangladesh has boosted both coal usage and imports. Countries are scrambling to address shortages, especially of liquefied natural gas (LNG), widely seen as a transition fuel. However, supply disruptions caused by the Strait of Hormuz closure and strikes on Qatar’s LNG facilities have worsened the crisis. Experts also indicated that a major LNG export facility in Qatar is set to exacerbate the shortage and will have a years-long impact on the industry. Removal of 30 billion cubic meters of LNG Henning Gloystein, managing director of energy and resources at Eurasia Group, stated that nearly 30 billion cubic meters of LNG have been discarded from global supply chains, of which over 80 per cent is missing in the Indo-Pacific region. He added that the remaining cargoes that crossed the strait before the conflict spiralled will arrive in the next week. “The global market has flipped within four weeks from quite a healthy supply surplus … into a very severe deficit – and that’s going to not just lead to price spikes, but real fuel shortages.” “Those countries that have coal reserves will be [using] that because it’s the fastest, cheapest way to replace LNG,” he said, adding that countries such as India are also increasing their use of renewable energy. Delhi has fast-tracked approvals for setting up wind power projects and battery energy storage systems. Pauline Heinrichs, a climate and energy expert at King’s College London, said the crisis could serve as a critical turning point for governments. “The impact of coal on climate and health outcomes is devastating and disastrous – and we’ve proven that this is the case for many decades. Not only does it worsen climate risks, of course, but the same goes for pollution and for toxicity,” she said. Also read: 'Iran doesn’t have to...': Trump makes U-turn on peace talks, says war could end in ‘two to three weeks’

South Korea has postponed the closure of coal-fired power plants and lifted limits on coal-based power generation, while Thailand has increased output at the country’s largest coal-fired plant.&nbsp;

Asian nations push for 'dirty fuels' to ease energy crisis amid West Asia war

The hospitality sector in a few regions of India has been severely hit and is facing a shortage of LPG cylinders needed to run kitchen stoves, as volatility in Middle East energy supplies intensifies amid the US-Israel war on Iran. Over 33 crore households in India uses Liquified petroleum gas, including lakhs of eateries, which has suddenly become hard to get. According to a report by NDTV, commercial kitchens in Chennai, Bengaluru, Kolkata, and other cities have switched to wood fires. They are mostly using scrap lumber as fuel to ensure the availability of some food. In some places, the situation has worsened to the point where restaurants have stopped serving certain dishes or replaced items that require more gas to cook with quick fast-food options. In Karnataka, for instance, the well-known eatery Bangalore Thindies, located opposite the state office of the ruling Indian National Congress, is now offering only coffee and tea. Before the crisis, the outlet had an 11-item menu that included dishes such as dosa, idli, vada, and rice meals. A cafe owner said that LPG cylinders are still available on the black market, but only at extremely high prices. On Tuesday, hotel owners' associations in Chennai and Bengaluru raised concerns about the issue, stressing that their sector is an 'essential service' and urging the federal government to restore gas supplies. Similar worries are being reported in Mumbai and Kolkata. Around 20 per cent of eateries in Mumbai and Kolkata have suspended their operations. Meanwhile, the LPG cylinder shortage in Gujarat's Surat has indicated that hotel owners are being forced to pay Rs 2,200 for a cylinder for commercial uses. Prices were increased last week, with the cost of a 14.2 kg LPG cylinder for households rising by Rs 60. A 19-kg commercial cylinder is now priced at Rs 1,883 in New Delhi, Rs 1,835 in Mumbai, Rs 1,990 in Kolkata, and Rs 2,043 in Chennai.<h3>The government extends the waiting period</h3>To curb hoarding and black-market sales, the government has extended the waiting period between cylinder refills from 21 days to 25 days to prevent hoarding and black marketing. Imported cylinders, meanwhile, are being reserved for critical facilities like hospitals. On Tuesday, Narendra Modi was briefed on the situation by Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, who had earlier said that India remains in a “comfortable position.” He added that oil refineries have been directed to increase LPG cylinder production for domestic consumption. The supply pressure is linked to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz during the ongoing US–Israel–Iran conflict. The narrow waterway, over which Iran holds geographical control, is crucial for India’s energy security, as the country imports about 62 per cent of its LPG requirements through this route.&nbsp;Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/breaking-news-iran-s-new-supreme-leader-mojtaba-khamenei-safe-and-sound-despite-war-injuries-says-president-pezeshkian-s-son-1773210931273">Iran’s new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei ‘safe and sound’ despite war injuries, says President Pezeshkian's son</a>

Several commercial kitchens in Chennai, Bengaluru, Kolkata, and other cities have switched to wood fires. They are mostly using scrap lumber as fuel to ensure the availability of some food. 

The hospitality sector in a few regions of India has been severely hit and is facing a shortage of LPG cylinders needed to run kitchen stoves, as volatility in Middle East energy supplies intensifies amid the US-Israel war on Iran. Over 33 crore households in India uses Liquified petroleum gas, including lakhs of eateries, which has suddenly become hard to get. According to a report by NDTV, commercial kitchens in Chennai, Bengaluru, Kolkata, and other cities have switched to wood fires. They are mostly using scrap lumber as fuel to ensure the availability of some food. In some places, the situation has worsened to the point where restaurants have stopped serving certain dishes or replaced items that require more gas to cook with quick fast-food options. In Karnataka, for instance, the well-known eatery Bangalore Thindies, located opposite the state office of the ruling Indian National Congress, is now offering only coffee and tea. Before the crisis, the outlet had an 11-item menu that included dishes such as dosa, idli, vada, and rice meals. A cafe owner said that LPG cylinders are still available on the black market, but only at extremely high prices. On Tuesday, hotel owners' associations in Chennai and Bengaluru raised concerns about the issue, stressing that their sector is an 'essential service' and urging the federal government to restore gas supplies. Similar worries are being reported in Mumbai and Kolkata. Around 20 per cent of eateries in Mumbai and Kolkata have suspended their operations. Meanwhile, the LPG cylinder shortage in Gujarat's Surat has indicated that hotel owners are being forced to pay Rs 2,200 for a cylinder for commercial uses. Prices were increased last week, with the cost of a 14.2 kg LPG cylinder for households rising by Rs 60. A 19-kg commercial cylinder is now priced at Rs 1,883 in New Delhi, Rs 1,835 in Mumbai, Rs 1,990 in Kolkata, and Rs 2,043 in Chennai. The government extends the waiting period To curb hoarding and black-market sales, the government has extended the waiting period between cylinder refills from 21 days to 25 days to prevent hoarding and black marketing. Imported cylinders, meanwhile, are being reserved for critical facilities like hospitals. On Tuesday, Narendra Modi was briefed on the situation by Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, who had earlier said that India remains in a “comfortable position.” He added that oil refineries have been directed to increase LPG cylinder production for domestic consumption. The supply pressure is linked to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz during the ongoing US–Israel–Iran conflict. The narrow waterway, over which Iran holds geographical control, is crucial for India’s energy security, as the country imports about 62 per cent of its LPG requirements through this route. Also read: Iran’s new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei ‘safe and sound’ despite war injuries, says President Pezeshkian's son

Several commercial kitchens in Chennai, Bengaluru, Kolkata, and other cities have switched to wood fires. They are mostly using scrap lumber as fuel to ensure the availability of some food.&nbsp;

Restaurants switch to wood fires as Iran war threatens LPG supplies across Indian cities

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India thanks Azerbaijan for Iran evacuation; both agree to launch political consultations

Asian nations push for 'dirty fuels' to ease energy crisis amid West Asia war

Indian restaurants switch to wood fires as Iran war threatens LPG supplies