India seeks US help to secure oil, gas shipments
With tensions rising in West Asia, India is turning to the US for help keeping its oil and gas shipments safe.
Disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz—a route that handles around half of India's crude oil and a big chunk of its LNG—have put the country's energy supplies at risk.
What is the US doing here?
President Trump ordered the US International Development Finance Corporation to provide political risk insurance and financial guarantees for maritime trade in the Gulf, which could cover vessels shipping oil from West Asia, and US Navy escorts might be on the table too.
Since nearly half of India's oil comes from this region, any trouble here means higher prices and longer shipping times.
To avoid future headaches, India is also looking to diversify where it gets its energy—so it's not putting all its eggs in one basket.