Amid escalating tensions in the Middle East, Union Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri has assured Indian citizens that the country’s energy supply remains stable despite Iran’s threat to close the strategic Strait of Hormuz.

The development comes after Iran’s Parliament approved a proposal to close the narrow waterway following U.S. airstrikes on its nuclear sites. The final decision on implementing the closure, however, rests with Iran’s Supreme National Security Council.

“The geopolitical situation in the Middle East has been under our close observation for the past two weeks,” Puri said. “Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, we have diversified our energy sources over the years. A significant share of our crude oil no longer passes through the Strait of Hormuz.”

He added that India’s oil marketing companies (OMCs) have reserves for several weeks and are continuing to receive supplies via multiple global routes. “All necessary steps are being taken to ensure uninterrupted fuel access to our citizens,” Puri stated in a post on social platform X.

Industry sources, however, remain cautious. “Oil and gas are extremely sensitive sectors. Even short-term disruptions can result in sharp price hikes,” a senior official told NDTV Profit. “If the Strait remains closed for more than a week, global markets could face severe shocks. India too will not remain unaffected.”

While India has increased crude imports from Russia in recent months, experts say the benefits depend on evolving price trends and discount margins. The government is reportedly considering excise duty cuts on fuel if crude prices breach the $105 per barrel mark.

The Strait of Hormuz is a vital chokepoint for global energy flows, handling nearly 20% of the world’s oil and gas trade. With the situation in flux, India’s preparedness and diversification strategies will be tested in the coming days.

In a major counter-espionage breakthrough, Amritsar Rural Police have arrested an Indian Army jawan and his civilian accomplice for allegedly leaking confidential military information to Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). The accused have been identified as Gurpreet Singh alias Gopy Foji, a serving jawan of the Sikh Regiment stationed in Jammu, and Sahil Masih alias Shali, both residents of Dhariwal in Punjab’s Amritsar district.

According to Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav, preliminary investigations revealed that Gurpreet Singh was in direct contact with ISI handlers and had been passing on sensitive information using pen drives. The espionage link was reportedly established through a Dubai-based drug trafficker named Arjan, also from Dhariwal, who introduced Gurpreet to ISI operatives around five months ago.

Police have recovered two mobile phones containing virtual numbers used to communicate with Pakistani handlers. Gurpreet is suspected of collecting, storing, and transmitting confidential military data to the ISI using covert drop-off methods. His actions were allegedly rewarded with monetary compensation routed through a web of intermediaries, including friends, relatives, and overseas contacts to avoid financial scrutiny.

Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Amritsar Rural, Maninder Singh, stated that the arrests were made during an intelligence-led operation as the duo attempted another data handover. Gurpreet, who joined the Army in 2016, allegedly exploited his official access to systematically share classified military information. He received funds through a layered network designed to evade detection.

A case has been registered against the accused under sections 3, 5, and 9 of the Official Secrets Act and section 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita at Lopoke police station. Further investigations are ongoing to identify the full extent of the espionage network and trace other domestic and foreign collaborators.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has concluded that all three terrorists involved in the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam were Pakistani nationals affiliated with the proscribed Lashkar-e-Taiba outfit. This revelation follows the arrest of two Kashmiri residents who allegedly provided food, shelter, and logistical support to the attackers.

According to officials, the terrorists had visited the homes of Parvaiz Ahmad Jothar and Bashir Ahmad Jothar in Pahalgam days before the attack and were harboured at a seasonal dhok (hut) in Hill Park. “They came on the evening of April 20, requested food, paid some money, and warned the hosts not to inform anyone,” said a source familiar with the investigation. The NIA has arrested the duo under Section 19 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

The breakthrough contradicts the initial narrative by the Jammu and Kashmir Police, who had released sketches of three suspects — two Pakistani nationals and one believed to be a local. NIA sources now assert that the individuals in those sketches were misidentified and not involved in the Pahalgam attack.

Investigators believe one of the attackers was Suleiman Shah, previously linked to the killing of seven tunnel construction workers in October 2024. His name has also surfaced in other high-profile cases, including attacks on Army personnel in Kulgam and Jammu’s Poonch district.

Over 200 individuals, including pony operators, shopkeepers, and photographers, were questioned in the course of the investigation. Visual identification of the attackers was further corroborated by local witnesses after central agencies showed them previously unreleased photographs found on the phone of a deceased militant.

The NIA is now cross-referencing ballistic data from earlier attacks to build a comprehensive case against the trio. The agency emphasized that its findings reinforce the cross-border origins of terrorism in Kashmir and expose Pakistan’s continued use of non-state actors to destabilize the region.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrested two individuals for harbouring the terrorists responsible for the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, which claimed 26 lives. Officials said the arrests came after an intensive investigation that included questioning more than 2,000 locals, including ponywalas and eyewitnesses.

The development comes in the wake of recent NIA raids at 32 locations across Kashmir, including Shopian, Kulgam, Pulwama, Sopore, and Kupwara, targeting suspected overground workers linked to Pakistan-based terror groups. Jammu and Kashmir Police assisted the operation, which is part of a broader federal effort to dismantle terror infrastructure in the region.

In addition to the two arrests, several individuals were booked under the Public Safety Act. Relatives of both the victims and survivors of the Pahalgam attack were also interviewed.

The Resistance Front (TRF), a proxy of the Pakistan-backed Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), had earlier claimed responsibility for the Pahalgam attack. NIA officials stated that new leads have emerged about the attackers’ movements and support networks, with senior agency teams continuing to probe the case intensively.

The arrests underscore India’s heightened counter-terrorism posture in Jammu and Kashmir, as authorities aim to ensure safer conditions ahead of the upcoming Amarnath Yatra and suppress the resurgence of militancy in the Valley.