Why raising Russian oil imports is India’s obvious choice as the conflict spreads to the Red Sea — but comes with risks

The theatre of the West Asia conflict, earlier limited to the Strait of Hormuz from the perspective of India’s crude oil imports, has now widened. Last week, the Yemen-based Houthi militia announced that it will target Saudi Arabian tankers attempting to cross the Bab al-Mandab, and indeed attacked a few ships. Like the Strait of Hormuz, the Bab al-Mandab — which connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and the Arabian Sea — is another critical chokepoint for global trade, and energy supplies in particular.The impact is already visible, with vessel crossings through the Bab al-Mandab slumping to an average 31 per day over the past three days from 43 per day in the first half of July, as per S&P Global data. Moreover, energy volumes transiting the Strait of Hormuz continue to be paltry.Saud