Iran is considering blocking the Strait of Hormuz after the U.S. airstrikes targeted its nuclear facilities within Iran. Iran’s national parliament has already approved the closure of the Strait. It is a move that could send global oil markets into chaos—but India seems to be reacting to the developments with calm. Turns out, years of deliberate planning under Modi’s government have paid off. They didn’t just talk about diversifying oil supplies; they actually did it, methodically spreading their sources far and wide.
Petroleum Minister Hardeep Puri put it plainly that India is sitting on weeks’ worth of reserves, and imports are still trickling in through other channels. It is a quiet reassurance in a noisy crisis. While the world watches Israel and Iran trade blows, India’s earlier groundwork—those unglamorous, behind-the-scenes deals and routes, is proving its worth. Not bad timing, honestly. You don’t just luck into energy security like this. It is what happens when you look at the map, see the risks, and decide not to put all your eggs in one basket. Especially when that basket’s a narrow strait everyone’s fighting over.
UAE-India local currency settlement & CEPA: Bypassing the Dollar and Hormuz
The landmark August 2023 rupee-dirham settlement mechanism enabled India’s first rupee payment for UAE crude – 1 million barrels purchased by Indian Oil Corp from ADNOC. This followed the May 2022 UAE-India Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), which slashed tariffs on 80% of goods and enhanced market access across 11 sectors. The agreement facilitates non-dollar transactions, reducing costs and dependency on Hormuz-transited shipments. Bilateral trade, standing at $84.5 billion in 2022/23, now flows through resilient financial channels, with a real-time payment linkage further shielding transactions from global volatility. This framework ensures continued access to UAE oil even if Hormuz closes.
Russian oil surge: The sanctions-driven safety net
India’s big bet on discounted Russian oil after the Ukraine invasion has really paid off. Fast forward to June 2025, and they’re bringing in more than ever – a whopping 2 to 2.2 million barrels every single day. That’s actually more than what they get from Iraq, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Kuwait combined. Think about that! Before 2022, Russian oil was barely a blip on the radar, under 1% of India’s imports. Now? It makes up over a third, sometimes nearly half, of their total crude intake, which averages around 5.1 million barrels daily.
But the real strategic win isn’t just the price or the volume. It’s how it gets there. Russian oil, like Urals and ESPO, completely sidesteps the Hormuz Strait. Instead, tankers take the long way round – through the Suez Canal, around Africa’s Cape of Good Hope, or across the Pacific. This physical separation from the usual Middle Eastern shipping lanes is a huge deal. As analysts point out, when things get messy in the Middle East, this Russian supply offers India something crucial: reliable barrels at manageable prices, acting like a vital buffer.
Angola: Beyond oil to strategic partnership
India’s top African oil supplier Angola exported $2.5 billion worth of crude to India in 2023-24 (approx. 110,000-130,000 bpd). Its exit from OPEC in 2023 over quota disputes unlocked new opportunities for flexible, non-cartel supplies. During President Lourenço’s historic May 2025 visit – the first by an Angolan head of state in 40 years ties expanded beyond energy. A $200 million defence line of credit for Indian equipment and training complements oil access, while Angola joined the International Solar Alliance. This diversification into security and renewables deepens energy ties and reduces vulnerability to single chokepoints like Hormuz.
Latin American imports: Emergency reserves at scale
In early 2025, Indian refiners increased their sourcing from Latin American nations. Imports risesd 60 % month on month to 453,600 bpd in february 2025, capturing 9% of India’s import basket – the highest since 2021. Key companies include Brazil’s Tupi, Mexico’s Maya, and even debut cargoes of Argentina’s Medanito oil. Though costlier due to freight, these volumes provide immediate alternatives during Middle East crisis. Combined with African supplies (330,000 bpd in Feb 2025), they form a rapid-response option detached from Hormuz risks.
Since 2022, India’s oil import landscape has undergone a revolutionary transformation, fundamentally reducing the dependence on Middle East. Once dominated at 65% of imports (nearly all transiting Hormuz), Middle Eastern suppliers’ share has dropped by 26 percentage points to just 39% (2 million bpd) by June 2025. The most dramatic shift came from Russia, previously a minor supplier at under 1% – which now delivers a staggering 2.2 million bpd (44% of total imports), marking a 40-fold increase. Latin American imports simultaneously hit record volumes at 453,600 bpd (9% share), a near-doubling from their 2022 baseline of 5%. U.S. shipments have also surged dramatically, jumping 57% monthly to reach 439,000 bpd. Complementing these diversified flows, India’s strategic petroleum reserves now hold 9-10 days of supply – a critical buffer against regional disruptions. This multi-continent sourcing strategy has slashed Hormuz-transited oil from over 60% to just 40% of total imports in three years.
Geopolitical resilience in action
Minister Puri emphasized that “a large volume of supplies do not come through Hormuz,” crediting Modi’s leadership for this strategic repositioning. Only 40% of india’s oil transits the strait today, down from over 60% in 2022. Kpler analysts confirm that even a short Hormuz closure (24-48 hours) would see India pivot harder to Russian, US, African, and Latin American crudes, supported by strategic reserves. While higher freight costs remain a challenge, India’s multi-vector oil policy – blending currency diplomacy, sanctions opportunism, and Global South partnerships –has transformed vulnerability into resilience, ensuring fuel stability for 1.4 billion citizens as West Asia erupts.
Bangladesh had fallen into the hands of Muslim mobs since the undemocratic ouster of Sheikh Hasina as Prime Minister on 5th August 2024. These extremists had been eyeing opportunities to persecute the minority Hindu community under one pretext or the other.
As such, unsubstantiated and unverified claims of blasphemy have become an easy excuse to take the law into their own hands and torture the Hindu community. Muslim extremists have been alleging insult to the Quran, Islam and the Prophet Muhammad and systematically attributing them to the minority Hindus.
This has been a new weapon in the arsenal of violent mobs, which have become emboldened under the incumbent regime of Muhammad Yunus. Bangladesh is gradually following the footsteps of Pakistan in terms of Islamisation and using blasphemy to satisfy their trigger-hungry nature.
OpIndia has found at least 13 cases since the fall of Sheikh Hasina when Muslims used ‘insult to Islam’ as an excuse to attack, torture and persecute Hindus in Bangladesh.
Muslim mob thrashes elderly Paresh Chandra Shil and his son in Lalmonirhat
On 22nd June, a violent Muslim mob brutally thrashed an elderly Hindu man and his son after accusing them of ‘insulting’ Islam. The victims were identified as 69-year-old Paresh Chandra Shil and 35-year-old Bishnu Chandra Shil.
According to reports, the incident occurred in Lalmonirhat Sadar Upazila in Rangpur Division of Bangladesh. A disturbing video has surfaced on social media wherein the Muslim mob can be seen mercilessly beating the elderly Hindu man.
The extremists tore the vest of 69-year-old Paresh Chandra Shil and repeatedly threw punches and blows at him. They also attacked his son Bishnu Chandra Shil when he tried to save his father.
The father-son duo operated a salon in Ward No.9 of Lalmonirhat Municipality. A Muslim customer accused Paresh Chandra Shil of supposedly making ‘derogatory remarks’ against Islam and Prophet Muhammad when he went to the salon for a haircut.
Islamists beat up elderly Paresh Chandra Shil and his son Bishnu Chandra Shil in the #Goshala market of #Lalmonirhat district of #Bangladesh over fabricated charges of blasphemy
— Vladimir Adityanath (@VladAdiReturns) June 22, 2025
Another local Muslim claimed that he had heard the elderly Hindu man make similar comments about a month earlier.
Soon after, Muslim extremists gathered outside the salon of Paresh Chandra Shil in a pre-planned manner and brutally assaulted him and his son.
Later, the mob notified the Lalmonirhat Sadar Police Station who then arrested Paresh Chandra Shil and Bishnu Chandra Shil based on allegations of ‘blasphemy.’
Police OC Nurnabi Mia said, “Two people have been arrested on accusations of hurting religious sentiments. Legal action is being taken against them.” No action was taken against the Muslim mob for grievous assault.
Muslims demand execution of Hindu youth over allegations of insulting Islam
A 24-year-old Hindu youth named Sohag Das faced death threats after Muslims accused him of insulting Islam via a Facebook post on 16th June this year. The incident occurred in Chandipur Union in Dinajpur district of Bangladesh.
A large number of Muslims, led by the radical outfit ‘Al Insaf Islami Sangh’ staged protests against Das and demanded his immediate execution.
“We love the Prophet more than our life. Hurting his honour means hurting the whole Muslim Ummah. We want the highest penalty of death sentence for this criminal”, a Muslim extremist declared.
Others called upon ‘Chief Advisor’ to the interim government of Bangladesh, Muhammad Yunus, to hang the Hindu youth.
Hindu youth Bikash Dhar Deepta arrested on unproven charges of ‘blasphemy’
In May 2025, a Hindu youth named Bikash Dhar Deepta was arrested on allegations of ‘insulting’ Prophet Muhammad. The incident occured in Moulvibazar Sadar upazila in Sylhet Division of Bangladesh.
A group of Muslims had alleged that Bikash Dhar Deepta made ‘objectional remarks’ about the last Prophet of Islam on Facebook on 11th May. Soon after, they hounded him and created chaos and unrest in Moulvibazar Sadar upazila.
The police booked the Hindu youth under the Cyber Security Act on the complaint of one Abdul Kadir Ratan.
Hindu youth Bikash Dhar Deepta, image via Daily Observer
In a statement, Moulvibazar Model Police Station OC Mohammed Mahbubur Rahman stated, “Based on the complaint, Bikash Dhar Deepta has been arrested and brought under the law. The police are investigating the incident seriously and legal action will be taken.”
The victim is 23 years old and a student of Economics at the Shahjalal University of Science and Technology.
Muslims unleash terror on Hindu villagers after accusing man of blasphemy
On 6th April this year, Muslims blocked the Dinajpur-Gobindaganj highway after accusing a Hindu man (identified as one Sobuj Das) of ‘insulting’ Prophet Muhammad. Radical outfits like Jammat-e-Islami and Hefazat-e-Islam also participated in the demonstrations.
They demanded the arrest and execution of the Hindu victim for supposedly committing ‘blasphemy’. The Muslim mobs unleashed carnage in the area in the presence of the police and the army.
Sobuj Das and his family had to flee the village, fearing for their safety and security. On the night of 3rd April, Muslims in Bantara village declared an indefinite closure of Hindu shops.They also barred local Hindus from driving rickshaw vans. The extremists also threatened to vandalise and burn down Hindu properties if they dared to run their business in Bantar.
In the village of Bontara in Dinajpur, Hindus are being persecuted. It is claimed that Sabuj Das insulted the Prophet on Facebook, which supposedly hurt the feelings of Muslims. As a result, Hindus have been arrested. All Hindu-owned shops have been closed. pic.twitter.com/BnwXlz4zLm
According to Bangladeshi journalist Shoaib Salahuddin Choudhury, the Muslim mobs also threatened to abduct Hindu women if they did not remain confined to their homes.
Noted Bangladeshi author-in-exile, Taslima Nasreen, highlighted that Hindus were being arrested in Bantara village in Dinajpur Sadar upazila. A case in point is that of a Hindu teacher named Upendranath Roy.
Roy was attacked and held hostage in his own home by a mob of ‘Tawhidi Janata’ – vigilante Muslims, unleashing violence under the pretext of protecting the tenets of Islam. The victim was then handed over to the police. His only mistake was that he raised his voice against the collective persecution of the Hindu community in Bantara village.
In Bontara, Dinajpur, the local Touhidi group has ordered the indefinite closure of Hindu-owned shops and banned Hindu rickshaw pullers following a Facebook post by a Hindu youth. Those attempting to reopen their shops have been threatened with violence. #Bangladesh… pic.twitter.com/goTkqZzrZf
Due to continued threats and fear of attacks, the 16-hour-long ‘Harinam Sankirtan’ was abandoned. The situation was further exacerbated by hate speeches made by a mob of ‘Tawhidi Janata’. They openly acknowledged vandalising the house of Sobuj Das based on ‘blasphemous comments’ made on Facebook.
According to reports, more than 150 Hindu families had escaped from the area owing to immediate threats to their lives at the hands of the Muslim mobs.
After the news of the ill-treatment meted out to the Hindu community became viral, the same Muslims who threatened the Hindus for the past 7 days came forward to give out a message of ‘communal harmony.’
Muslim mob attempts to lynch Hindu man after accusing him of ‘blasphemy’
On 6th April, a frenzied Muslim mob attempted to lynch a 40-year-old Hindu man named Akhil Chandra Mondal after accusing him of ‘insulting’ Islam and mocking Prophet Muhammad. The incident occurred in the Tangail district of Bangladesh.
In disturbing visuals that have surfaced on social media, the extremists could be seen attacking the Hindu man with sticks and rods. Akhil Chandra Mondal was seen bleeding from his head while the police escorted him away.
Local Muslims in the area carried out the brutal attack after accusing the victim of posting ‘indecent cartoon’ on Facebook. They first hounded him at his own jewellery shop.
Akhil Chandra Mondal, images via X
The victim managed to escape and took refuge in another shop. But the mob came attacking him soon after. Akhil Chandra Mondal was stripped, his shirt was torn and the Muslims gathered there threw punches and blows at him.
On learning about the matter, the police and the army officials reached the spot and took the victim away. He was subsequently arrested while no action was taken against the Muslim mob that almost lynched him.
After failing to murder Akhil Chandra Mondal, the extremists protested in front of the Tangail Sadar Upazila Parishad.
Hindu students expelled from Bangladeshi university over allegations of ‘insulting Islam’
In March 2025, the Pabna University of Science and Technology in Bangladesh expelled 2 Hindu students over accusations of ‘insulting Islam’ and committing ‘blasphemy’.
According to reports, the victims were identified as Pranay Kundu and Bikarna Das Dibya. They were students of the Department of Urban and Regional Planning.
The university administration was first coerced into issuing a show-cause notice to the Hindu students and then expelling them, despite both students filing their response.
Hindu students Pranay Kundu and Bikarna Das Dibya, images via Kalerkontho
The hounding of Pranay Kundu and Bikarna Das Dibya began on the night of 14th March after they had a heated argument with some Muslims on Facebook. Later, Muslim radicals studying at the varsity protested on campus and demanded their expulsion.
Proctor Kamruzzaman Khan justified the drastic action against the Hindu students claiming that their response to the show-cause notice was ‘not satisfactory.’
In the meantime, the Muslim students began seeking to expel 5 other Hindu students namely – Bidyut Sarkar, Suborna Sarkar, Dipu Biswas, Tanoy Sarkar and Ankan Ghosh. To coerce the administration into submission, the radicals blocked the main gate and administrative building of the university.
Muslim mob hounds Hindu boy in Netrakona over ‘blasphemy’
On 28th February this year, a Muslim mob comprising members of the radical ‘Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh’ and ‘Tawhidi Janata‘ hounded a Hindu man named Supta Saha Anik after accusing him of making ‘objectionable remarks’ about Islam.
The mob organised a protest rally in Kalmakanda upazila in the Netrakona district of Bangladesh after Jumma Namaz. They also demanded the immediate arrest of the Hindu man for supposedly insulting Prophet Muhammad and gave an ultimatum of 48 hours.
As expected, the violent Muslim mob raised genocidal slogans and vowed to make ‘ultimate sacrifice’ in order to avenge the supposed dishonour to Islam.
According to reports, the victim Supta Saha Anik is a student of Rajshahi University. He is also a member of the Chhatra League, the banned student wing of the Sheikh Hasina-led Awami League.
In a video that surfaced on social media, a violent Muslim mob could be seen at the residence of Supta Saha Anik, intimidating his father. Anik is a resident of Mantal village in Kalmakanda upazila in the Netrakona district.
As per screenshots that have surfaced on social media, the Hindu man seemed to have engaged in a heated confrontation with a Muslim man and criticised Islam in response to his provocation.
Muslim mob abducts and tortures Hindu man over allegations of ‘blasphemy
In January 2025, a Hindu man named Pranta Talukder was abducted by a Muslim mob from his residence in the Patenga Kathgarh area in Chittagong city of Bangladesh.
According to reports, the extremists tortured and thrashed him mercilessly. The young Hindu man was severely injured. The Muslim mob accused Talukder of committing ‘blasphemy.’
The local police were informed that a man was being beaten in the parking lot of Lalkhan Bazar Amin Center. On learning about the matter, the cops reached the spot and rescued the Hindu man.
ধর্ম অবমাননার অভিযোগ তুলে "নারায়ে তাকবীর আল্লাহু আকবর" স্লোগান দিয়ে চট্টগ্রাম কাটগড় ২ নাম্বার গলি থেকে প্রান্ত তালুকদার নামে এক হিন্দু যুবককে তুলে নিয়ে যাওয়ার আজকের সিসিটিভি ফুটেজ।।#SaveBangladeshiHinduspic.twitter.com/Ss96PP56Hy
Pranta Talkuder was thereafter admitted to the Chittagong Medical College and Hospital. A video of the Hindu man being carried on all fours by a violent Muslim mob was doing the rounds on the internet.
Muslims burn down Hindu homes and temples over ‘blasphemous comments’ on Facebook
In December 2024, Muslims carried out arson attack on 130 Hindu houses and 20 temples after accusing a young boy named Akash Das of making blasphemous comments on Facebook.
The incident occurred in Dowarabazar upazila in Sunamganj district of Bangladesh. When the news became viral on social media, police and army reached the spot to do ‘damage control.’
130 Hindu houses & 20 mandirs have been vandalised by Islamist mobs in Doarabazar, Sunamganj, Bangladesh.
The pretext? An alleged blasphemous FB comment
Demonization of ISKCON, arrests of monks, assaults on lawyers, incessant anti-Hindu mob violencepic.twitter.com/uIisRWnND3
Muslim mob carries out vandalism, wanted to lynch Hindu boy
In October 2024, a frenzied Muslim mob laid siege to the Kadirdi Degree College in Boalmari in the Faridpur district of Bangladesh after accusing a Hindu boy of ‘insulting’ Prophet Muhammad. The victim was identified as Hridoy Pal.
He is a student of Class XI. A mob comprising of madrassa students gathered outside the Kadirdi Degree College and demanded that the administration hand the victim over to them.
They accused the Hindu student of committing ‘blasphemy’ through a Facebook post. Hridoy Pal was called into the principal’s cabin and interrogated. The victim informed the college authorities that he did not own a mobile phone.
He further stated that the alleged ‘blasphemous’ Facebook post was published from an ID, which was hacked 2 years ago. The frenzied Muslim mob ghearoed the principal’s office, and vandalised motorcycles and school property.
In Faridpur, a teenager named Hriday Pal is being taken away by the army in a bizarre manner, but what is his crime? Behind him, the miscreants are telling the soldiers to beat the boy, and according to them, the soldiers are attacking the boy. The boy is Hindu. Fanatics are… pic.twitter.com/irFz1UcrrF
On learning about the matter, the Officer-in-charge of Boalmari police station reached the spot. Local political leaders also rushed to the scene that pacify the radical Muslims.
Later, the army was called in to prevent any untoward situation. They took the Hindu boy into their custody. A video of a blindfolded Hridoy Pal being carried on all fours by army officials has surfaced on social media.
In the footage, Muslims could be seen slapping the victim and encouraging others to assault him. One army official was seen hitting the Hindu boy with a stick.
Reportedly, the violent mob attacked the army personnel with stones and shoes while they took Hridoy Pal to the army camp.
Muslim mob attacks police station, army vehicle for not being able to lynch victim
On 30th September last year, a frenzied Muslim mob laid siege to the Patiya police station in Chittagong district of Bangladesh, demanding that the cops hand over a Hindu boy accused of ‘insulting’ Prophet Muhammad.
The mob, comprising mostly local madrassa students, also attacked an army vehicle after seeing a young boy in civilian clothes and mistaking him for the Hindu victim. An army official was injured in the onslaught.
A 22-year-old Hindu youth named Partha Biswas Pintu was arrested on charges of committing ‘blasphemy’.
A police complaint to the effect was filed by one Kamrul Islam a day earlier, accusing Pintu of making objectionable remarks about Prophet Muhammad on Facebook.
Another Utshab Mandal incident barely averted in #Bangladesh today: #Islamists in Patia, #Chattogram wanted to lynch a #Hindu boy on the trumped-up charge of insulting the Prophet. As Army took him into custody and tried to drive away, the extremists attacked the army vehicle.… pic.twitter.com/5bcqSXGBly
On learning about the arrest of a Hindu youth, a mob of radical Muslims gathered outside the Patiya police station. They demanded the handover of Partha Biswas Pintu so that they could lynch him.
However, the police refused to give in to their demands. The madrassa students and local Muslims then vandalised the waiting room of the police station.
They also ambushed a car belonging to the Bangladesh Army and injured an official in the process. Scary visuals of the mob violence have now surfaced on social media. In the meantime, the Hindu youth was produced in a local court.
Muslims assault Hindu boy inside police station, almost kills him
In September last year, another Hindu boy named Utsab Mandal was almost lynched to death after he was accused of committing blasphemy by a Muslim mob.
The victim was initially taken to the office of Khulna Metropolitan Deputy Commissioner (South) by the students of the Azam Khan Government Commerce College.
As the news spread about an alleged insult to Islam, a trigger-hungry Muslim mob gathered outside the office and demanded the handover of the Hindu boy for ‘instant justice’.
The police assured the Muslim mob that a case would be filed against Utsab Mandal and that he would be brought to justice through legal means. But the mob didn’t agree, and assaulted the Hindu boy inside the premises of the police station.
The victim was left critically injured. Army and Navy personnel arrived at the scene to control the situation. It was assumed that Mandal died after the brutal assault. However, ISPR later confirmed that he was alive and out of danger.
The victim was booked under the Cyber Security Act and arrested after his discharge from the hospital.
Muslims accuse Hindu student Kankan Biswas of ‘blasphemy’
In September 2024, Muslims painted a target on another Hindu boy named Kankan Biswas by claiming that he made ‘objectionable remarks’ about Islam.
Muslim students, studying at the Jessore University of Science and Technology, held a ‘protest march’ against Biswas and demanded his trial over alleged ‘blasphemy’.
Biswas is a student of the Biomedical Engineering Department at the Jessore University of Science and Technology in Khulna.
Muslims claimed that it was urgent to punish the ‘radical Hindutva of Kankan Biswas for ‘unacceptable and obscene remarks’ about Islam on social media.
They labelled the Hindu student as ‘Kulangar‘ (disgrace) and demanded his immediate expulsion from the varsity.
When Bangladesh High Court recommended death penalty for blasphemy
In November 2024, OpIndia reported how the High Court of Bangladesh recommended strengthening the Cyber Security Act to make ‘blasphemy’ punishable by life imprisonment and death penalty in the country.
“There should be a provision of punishment like death penalty or life imprisonment for such unnecessary, unconscionable, obstinate and provocative speech and conduct against the Quran and Muhammad (Pbuh), which the parliament may consider,” a 2-Judge Bench of Justices MR Hassan and Fahmida Quader stated.
They further declared, “To discourage any such inflammatory speech or act which is likely to offend the minds of people of any religion, or to cause fear, terror, discomfort or apprehension in any of them, enhancing the punishment for such offences and to make them non-bailable must be considered.“
The Bangladesh High Court added, “If the offenders who are involved in the respective links of the charge sheet are not brought under the law, in every case the main culprit or the main conspirator or the main source will remain out of touch. Hence, there needs to be an appropriate order in this regard.“
Currently, the maximum punishment imposed by the blasphemy law in Bangladesh is 2 years imprisonment and a fine of 5 lakh Taka. The country’s High Court now recommends increasing the maximum punishment to non-bailable charge, life imprisonment and death penalty.
Hours after US military carried out airstrikes against Iranian nuclear targets, US President Donald Trump took to social media platform Truth Social to share that he won’t be averse to regime change in the country. Trump shared a graphic with the text, “It’s not politically correct to use the term, ‘Regime Change’, but if the current Iranian Regime is unable to MAKE IRAN GREAT AGAIN, why wouldn’t there be a Regime change???”
It is obviously styled after his political campaign slogan “Make America Great Again” — and it left the world guessing about the real meaning behind the message.
Strategic strikes or a push for regime change
The message, posted on Sunday (22 June), followed soon after what the Pentagon described as an “overwhelmingly successful” attack on strategic Iranian military and nuclear targets. While the Trump administration asserted that the strikes were retaliatory in response to Iranian aggression, Trump’s social media message suggested greater ambitions — namely, regime change in Tehran.
Trump’s statement is largely being read by many analysts as an appeal to bring Iran back to where it was before 1979, when Western-aligned Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi ruled the country. The Shah had close military and diplomatic relations with the US and Israel, but in the eyes of most Iranians, he was a Western puppet. His rule was overthrown in the 1979 Islamic Revolution, which propelled Ayatollah Khomeini to power and founded the Islamic Republic of Iran.
By calling on “greatness” for Iran, Trump could be appealing to a vision of a pro-West Iran, rather than the existing clerical regime led by Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Critics see this as de facto backing for regime change, a concept Trump has flirted with in the past under his presidency but never seriously pursued with military action.
Iranian reaction: Colonial arrogance
Though no official release came from the Trump campaign explaining the post, its imagery and timing raised alarm among foreign observers. Iranian authorities branded the post “colonial arrogance,” with political commentators throughout the Middle East cautioning it had the potential to fuel added instability.
US officials deny regime change agenda
However, officials in today’s U.S. administration were quick to disavow the notion of regime change. Vice President JD Vance, appearing on NBC’s Meet the Press, said, “We don’t want regime change. We want to shut down their nuclear program and work towards a long-term resolution.” Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth seconded the thought, referring to the airstrikes as “a precision operation” and not one intended to overthrow Iran’s leadership.
“Operation Midnight Hammer” was known to only a few in Washington and CENTCOM in Tampa, Florida, highlighting the operation’s secrecy and strategic importance.
Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan launched a scathing attack on what he termed “fake secularists” during a major Hindu gathering in Madurai on Sunday, June 22, accusing them of systematically targeting Hindu deities and beliefs under the guise of freedom of expression. Speaking primarily in Tamil at the Muruga Bhakthargal Maanadu, organized by the Hindu Munnani, Kalyan said he is a “committed Hindu” who is demanding equal respect for his faith.
Addressing a vast assembly of devotees alongside prominent leaders including BJP’s K. Annamalai and AIADMK representatives, the Andhra Pradesh Deputy CM said that secularism was being misapplied. “Secularism means no discrimination against any religion,” he asserted, “but for them (atheists and self-styled secularists), secularism means no discrimination against any religion except Hinduism.” He contended that Hindu gods are uniquely singled out for mockery and criticism under the banner of free speech, a trend he warned threatens the survival of the faith itself.
“The word secularism is a convenient word for a lot of people… Freedom of expression was one great weapon given by the Constitution. It has become common to target Hindu gods in the name of freedom of expression. This has to change. If this doesn’t change, it would be very difficult to sustain our religion, faith,” Kalyan stated, as reported by PTI.
Reiterating his commitment while distancing himself from extremism, he declared, “I am not a fanatic Hindu, but a committed Hindu. I respect Christianity, Islam. My plea is don’t disrespect my faith.” He invoked the concept of ‘aram’ (Dharma or righteousness) as India’s foundational strength and condemned divisive questions about holding Hindu conferences in Tamil Nadu, calling such doubts “very very dangerous.”
Kalyan sharply criticized the double standard, “A Christian can be a Christian, a Muslim can be a Muslim but they have a problem if a Hindu is Hindu. If one is Hindu, they call him communal. This is their fake secularism.” He urged respect, cautioning that Hindu patience should not be mistaken for weakness. “You may not respect my faith but don’t disrespect it,” he pleaded.
Dressed in traditional Murugan devotee attire (green veshti, angavastram, white shirt), Kalyan lamented past mockery of sacred hymns like the Kanda Sashti Kavacham. Calling for unity, he urged the audience to “protect dharma,” expressing confidence that “change is bound to happen.”
BJP leader K. Annamalai, speaking at the same event, emphasized its non-political nature, stating it aimed “to raise questions and seek rights,” adding, “We are not enemies to anyone, only trying to assert our rights.” The conference concluded with a mass recitation of the Kanda Sashti Kavacham, underscoring its devotional core amidst the strong political and cultural assertions.
Congress MP, and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi comes out of his AC room very rarely these days. Whenever he comes out, he somehow always finds some or the other sad person. After this, that sad story is somehow linked to Modi government and then PM Narendra Modi is criticized.
Rahul Gandhi, the de facto head of Congress which has ruled the country for more than 6 decades, recently visited Nehru Place Market in Delhi, named after his great grandfather. It has the honour of being Asia’s largest computer and mobile market.
“Make in India” promised a factory boom. So why is manufacturing at record lows, youth unemployment at record highs, and why have imports from China more than doubled?
Modi ji has mastered the art of slogans, not solutions. Since 2014, manufacturing has fallen to 14% of our… pic.twitter.com/HsL9PBUYpx
When Rahul Gandhi reached there, he saw Made in India mobile phones. However, this didn’t quite please him and he shared his problems on X in a post. Rahul Gandhi claimed that the manufacturing sector has been ruined after the Modi government came to power in India.
He also claimed that the phones being manufactured in India is actually not manufacturing but assembling i.e. joining the parts together. Along with this, he claimed in the video that we are far behind China. He also blamed the Modi government for the trade deficit between China and India.
Although it would have been a matter of great happiness for the leader of the opposition of the country to be concerned about things like manufacturing, but Rahul Gandhi is not really concerned, rather he is lying and trying to attack the government by presenting half-baked facts. OpIndia is bringing the truth of Rahul Gandhi’s claims in front of you.
First claim- assembling and manufacturing
Rahul Gandhi said that the smartphones being manufactured in our country are actually not ‘Make in India’ but Assemble in India. He claimed that we are just calling the work of assembling parts as Make in India. Rahul Gandhi claimed that the parts come from China and we assemble them.
The truth of this claim of Rahul Gandhi is revealed by a recent report. According to the report, more than 20% of the parts used in Apple phones and other products made in India are being made in the country itself. That is, about 20% of the parts of any iPhone made in India are manufactured locally.
The report shows that this achievement has been achieved by the vendors supplying different parts to Apple. Apple has parts suppliers all over India. These include TDK Corporation, Hon Hai Precision, Tata Electronics, Foxlink and many other companies.
According to the report, Samsung and Dixon are also using 20%-25% parts made in India. The government’s target is to take it to 35%-40% in the coming years. This will strengthen Indian industry and also reduce dependence on foreign countries for essential parts.
Rahul Gandhi should know that China, which has been engaged in this work for decades, has also reached the level of 35%-40% till now. India has achieved 20% in just 5 years. And he should understand one more thing that when the production of any product starts, its localization happens gradually.
The biggest example of this is the country’s auto industry. In the 1980s, Suzuki had started only assembling vehicles in India, but now 95% of the parts in every Suzuki vehicle made in India are Indian. The situation is the same for other industries as well.
The assembling that Rahul Gandhi is cursing today has contributed more than ₹ 2 lakh crore to the country’s exports in the financial year 2024-25. This has created lakhs of jobs. However, this is not the first time that Rahul or his gang has tried to downplay this achievement of India.
Earlier, Raghuram Rajan, close to him, has also said such thing. However, when India started making parts locally, their lips have been sealed. Rahul Gandhi should tell the entire truth to the country.
Claim 2: Increasing dependence on China
Rahul Gandhi claims in the video that our imports from China have doubled in the last 10 years and the Modi government is responsible for the growing trade deficit between the two countries. It is true that we import a large quantity of things from China and our trade deficit with China is also very large.
But Rahul Gandhi very cleverly hides one thing during this. He does not tell that India’s dependence on China actually started during the UPA era. India’s trade deficit with China increased almost 20 times during the rule of Rahul Gandhi’s party, who is blaming the Modi government for the doubling of imports.
In the year 2004, India’s imports from China were only 7.5 billion dollars (₹62 thousand crores). During the rule of Congress from 2004 to 2014, it increased 8 times and reached almost 60 billion dollars (₹5 lakh crore+). That is, during this period it increased 8 times without any check.
Rahul Gandhi should also know that during this period, the trade deficit between India and China also increased at a rate of 45% per year. According to Union Minister Piyush Goyal, between 2004 and 2014, India’s trade deficit increased from $2 billion to about $40 billion.
According to the data, India’s trade deficit with China was almost negligible in the year 2004. It crossed $40 billion (₹3.2 lakh crore+) in 2014 when the Congress was in power. Currently, the Modi government has kept it under control for the past several years.
Rahul Gandhi and his party should answer why the doors of India’s market were opened for China during his government and why its products kept coming to India without any hindrance. Why during that time the Congress didn’t emphasize on promoting manufacturing in India.
This work was also started by the Modi government and the PLI (Production Linked Incentive) scheme was introduced. Due to this, India’s manufacturing sector came back to life and foreign companies started looking at India as an option instead of China.
Claim 3 – Decreasing share of manufacturing
Rahul Gandhi claimed in his video and the post that the share of the manufacturing sector in India’s economy is continuously decreasing. He cleverly hid two facts while saying that. The first fact is that whenever a country travels from developing to developed, the share of manufacturing and agriculture sector in its economy decreases.
Second, whenever a country starts developing, it goes from agriculture to manufacturing and then to the service sector. But it is the contribution of Congress that India has become an economy that went directly from agriculture to the service sector, missing the manufacturing part in between. Economists advising Congress have constantly opposed the fact that India should increase its focus on the manufacturing sector.
The biggest example of this is Raghuram Rajan. He had advised India not to focus on the manufacturing sector like China. Economic reforms did not take place in India till 1991 during the rule of Congress. Due to this, the manufacturing sector did not flourish. After this, when economic reforms were done out of compulsion, we focused on the service sector.
The reduction in the share of the manufacturing sector in the GDP that Rahul Gandhi is talking about is not a new thing. This process had started during the Congress rule itself. The fact is that India is now showing its strength in the manufacturing sector again. However, Rahul Gandhi has a problem with this.
Sometimes he is calling it Assemble in India and sometimes a process to benefit China. Rahul Gandhi is mocking this achievement of India just for the sake of criticism, although this is nowhere close to the truth.
After United States launched a coordinated military strike on three of Iran’s most critical nuclear sites at Natanz, Fordow, and Arak, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan “Razin” Caine held a press conference from the Pentagon early Sunday morning to give details about the operation. They detailed how Operation Midnight Hammer was executed with precision and strategic deception, marking a significant escalation in the ongoing tensions between the United States and Iran.
“Last night, on President Trump’s orders, U.S. Central Command conducted a precision strike in the middle of the night against three nuclear facilities in Iran Fordo, Natanz and Isfahan in order to destroy or severely degrade Iran’s nuclear program,” Pete Hegseth said.
He added, “The order we received from our commander in chief was focused. It was powerful, and it was clear we devastated the Iranian nuclear program. But it’s worth noting the operation did not target Iranian troops or the Iranian people for the entirety of his time in office.” Hegseth said that the operation was “an incredible and overwhelming success.”
Giving details about Operation Midnight Hammer, Gen. Dan Caine said that the operation included the use of submarines, dozens of Tomahawk land attack cruise missiles, and it was the “longest B-2 spirit bomber mission since 2001.” He said that apart from dropping bunker busting bombs on Iranian nuclear sites, US also launched Tomahawk land attack cruise missiles against key surface infrastructure targets.
He said, “At approximately 5 p.m. Eastern Standard Time last night and just prior to the strike package entering Iran, a U.S. submarine in the Central Command area of responsibility launched more than two dozen Tomahawk land attack cruise missiles against key surface infrastructure targets as often as the Operation Midnight Hammer strike package entered Iranian airspace.”
The main strike was conducted by seven B-2 Spirit bombers that took from US and flew over the Atlantic. Notably, as a deceptive tactic, US also flew some B-2 bombers westwards over Pacific towards Guam.
Caine said, “On Friday midnight into Saturday morning, a large B-2 strike package comprised of bombers launched from the continental US. As part of a plan to maintain tactical surprise, a part of the package proceeded to the west and into the Pacific as a decoy, a deception effort known only to an extremely small number of planners and key leaders here in Washington and in Tampa.”
He said that the lead B-2 bomber launched two massive bunker-buster bombs at the Fordow nuclear site at 6.40 pm, and then the remaining bombers hit their targets. He added that the other targets were struck between 6.40 pm and 7.05 pm (US Eastern Time), and a total of 14 bunker-busting GBU-57 bombs were used. Therefore, the entire mission in Iran was completed in just 25 minutes.
Dozens of refuelling aircraft worked in tandem with the seven B-2 bombers to refuel them on the route. Fourth- and fifth-generation fighters, including F-22 jets, were used to clear the way for the airstrikes.
Caine added that Iran didn’t fire at the American planes, and the bombers and other jets returned home without any incident. “Iran’s fighters did not fly, and it appears that Iran’s surface to air missile systems did not see us throughout the mission. We retained the element of surprise,” he added.
Hegseth noted that this the first operational deployment of the GBU-57A/B Massive Ordnance Penetrators (MOP) — the most powerful heavy-duty bunker buster bomb known to exist. “Our initial assessment is that all of our precision munitions struck where we wanted them to strike and had the desired effect,” Hegseth said.
“It was historic, a strike that included the longest B-2 Spirit Bomber mission since 2001 and the first operational employment of the MOP, a massive ordinance penetrator,” Hegseth added.
Early on Sunday, the United States launched a coordinated military strike on three of Iran’s most critical nuclear sites—Natanz, Fordow, and Arak. The strikes came amid rising tensions in the Gulf and growing concern over Iran’s nuclear breakout timeline. Precision munitions pounded infrastructure suspected of housing advanced uranium enrichment centrifuges and heavy water reactors. The immediate goal: cripple Iran’s nuclear development before it crosses a red line.
As per reports, US used its bunker busting bomb GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP) dropped from B-2 Spirit stealth bomber to strike the underground facilities. The 13,600 kg GBU-57 can penetrate deep into the grounds to destroy Iranian nuclear facilities located under mountains. The B-2 bomber flies at 50,000 feet altitude and is practically invisible in radar due to its stealth properties.
But while today’s headlines feature bombers and fighter jets, massive bombs, detailed military planning and coordination, this isn’t the first time Iran’s nuclear program has been set back by a foreign adversary. Over a decade ago, the most effective attack on Iranian nuclear establishment came not from bombs and missiles, but from a few thousand lines of code—discreet, invisible, and devastating.
No airstrikes, no bombs, just a sophisticated piece of malware that slipped silently into the heart of Iran’s enrichment facilities and blew centrifuges apart from the inside out.
This was Stuxnet—the world’s first true cyberweapon that caused physical damage to machinery. Not ordinary machinery, hi-tech equipment used in nuclear facilities.
The mission of the malware: delay Iran’s progress toward a nuclear weapon without triggering a full-blown war. Stuxnet silently damaged a lot of centrifuges at a Iranian nuclear facility even before anyone knew what was happening.
The Silent Sabotage
First discovered in 2010 but likely deployed as early as 2007, Stuxnet marked a watershed moment in cyberwarfare. It wasn’t just code—it was a precision-engineered digital weapon, designed to do physical damage to one of the most heavily guarded and secretive operations in the world: Iran’s nuclear enrichment plant at Natanz.
The worm was not designed to spy or steal, it sabotaged, manipulated critical machinery to self-destruct while feeding operators false data to mask the damage. It worked flawlessly for years before anyone even knew it existed.
Centrifuges at Natanz facility
Stuxnet was designed to spread from computer from computer running Microsoft Windows, and sit there, looking for presence of some very specific equipment connected to that computer. Specifically, it sought a specific Siemens software used to control industrial centrifuges, which are also used in nuclear facilities.
Stuxnet caused the Iran’s nuclear centrifuges to spin very fast and very slow, causing substantial damage. It is estimated that one-fifth of Iran’s nuclear centrifuges were destroyed by the malware. While causing the centrifuges to spin at unusual speeds, the malware also fed false data to the system, therefore the operators didn’t spot the malfunction.
Operation Olympic Games: The Architects of Stuxnet
The creation of Stuxnet was no amateur operation. Based on leaks, investigative journalism, and cybersecurity analysis, it’s widely attributed to a joint initiative between the United States’ National Security Agency (NSA) and Israel’s Unit 8200, under the codename Operation Olympic Games.
This partnership brought together unparalleled intelligence, industrial systems expertise, and cyber capabilities. The result was a worm that exploited four zero-day vulnerabilities—unprecedented at the time—and had the ability to mask its tracks, self-update, and even delete itself after completing its mission.
When the malware was finally discovered and experts looked into it, they knew that it was a work of govt agencies, not rogue elements. The creators went to a great extent to not damage any system not linked to Iran’s nuclear programs. Stuxnet just sat idle on computers if the specific conditions were not met. Moreover, it was designed to erase itself from infected systems on 24 June 2012.
The fact that four zero-day vulnerabilities were used in one program also confirmed that it was a govt program, as real hackers will use one vulnerability at a time, to maximise gains. Stuxnet represented a level of complexity, precision, and purpose never seen before in malware.
Of the four different zero-day vulnerabilities, one was so dangerous that it simply required having an icon visible on the screen – no interaction like clicking anything was necessary.
How Stuxnet Infiltrated and Attacked
Stuxnet had three components, a worm that conducted most of the work, a link file which automated execution of propagated worm copies, and a rootkit which hid files from detection.
Stuxnet was custom-built to target Siemens Step7 software used to program Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs). These controllers governed the speed and operation of IR-1 centrifuges, the machines that spin uranium hexafluoride gas to concentrate U-235 isotopes—essential to creating weapons-grade uranium.
But Natanz was air-gapped—not connected to the internet. Therefore, it was not possible to infect the system remotely. Therefore, Stuxnet’s designers designed it to spread via infected USB drives, exploiting removable media to breach isolated networks. Once some unsuspecting engineer inserted an infected USB drive into his work computer at the nuclear site, the worm was inside the internal network, spreading to other computers on the network.
Once inside, it scanned the system for very specific configurations: the presence of Siemens PLCs running on Windows machines, connected to Vacon and Fararo Paya frequency converters, all operating within a particular range of speeds (807 Hz and 1210 Hz). This is a much higher frequency than motors typically operate at in most industrial applications.
Siemens Step 7 software
If those conditions were met, Stuxnet activated, and introduced the infected rootkit onto the PLC and Step7 software. It then modified the code to give unexpected commands to the PLC to spin the centrifuges at various speeds. It would subtly vary the centrifuge speeds in ways that stressed the rotors, causing them to crack and fail. It also reported normal status back to operators, hiding its activities.
The worm also included a rootkit, which hides the malware on the system and masks the changes in rotational speed from monitoring systems. The malware first increased the centrifuge speeds and then lowered it, and did it repeatedly. This caused excessive vibration, causing the centrifuges to tore themselves apart. Essentially, the malware caused the centrifuges to self destruct.
Siemens PLC
It was digital sleight of hand, and it worked. According to IAEA data and U.S. intelligence estimates, Stuxnet destroyed around 1,000 of the 5,000 centrifuges Iran had in operation at Natanz.
While initially spread via USB drives, Stuxnet was designed to be updated once it reached a computer connected to internet. Two websites in Denmark and Malaysia were configured as command and control servers for the malware for this purpose. It could also sent information on infected systems back to the control centres.
Global Fallout: The Worm That Escaped
For all its surgical precision, Stuxnet eventually escaped its target environment. In mid-2010, it was detected by a Belarusian cybersecurity firm, VirusBlokAda, on a client’s computer in Iran. The code had begun spreading outside Natanz, infecting industrial systems around the globe.
It appeared in over 100,000 systems across more than 155 countries. Most of these infections were benign—Stuxnet only triggered its payload under very specific conditions—but its global presence set off alarm bells. Researchers from Symantec, Kaspersky Lab, and others began dissecting the code, uncovering its unprecedented complexity and purpose.
The worm was designed not just to infect, but to hide in plain sight, avoid detection, and even remove itself when done. It used stolen digital certificates to appear legitimate, employed advanced rootkits, and had multiple fallback strategies for persistence. Its sophistication left little doubt: this was the work of a nation-state, not a hacker.
Though Stuxnet’s payload only executed under precise conditions, its spread revealed the vulnerability of global industrial systems. Factories, power plants, and infrastructure operators across the world were suddenly faced with the unsettling realization: a worm designed for one site in Iran had infected them too. While fast spinning centrifuges are not used in most industries, they are used in some specific sectors, like gas turbines.
While most systems were unaffected functionally, some Siemens-based control systems in India, Indonesia, and even the United States experienced abnormal behaviour or had to undergo security audits and partial shutdowns to ensure safety. Therefore, even thought there were no serious physical damage, firms had to spend considerable amounts of money and resources to fix the systems.
The incident forced governments and corporations to reevaluate cybersecurity for Operational Technology (OT)—the realm of hardware and software that controls industrial equipment. For the first time, IT security wasn’t just about data—it was about life.
The Beginning, Not the End
Once detected, Stuxnet was removed from the infected machines, and the vulnarabilities that it relied on were patched. Siemens released a detection and removal tool for Stuxnet.
Stuxnet was the first, but it wasn’t the last. It inspired a new class of malware— like Duqu, Flame, Triton, and Industroyer—each one more aggressive or more dangerous. Cyberweapons have since targeted Ukrainian power grids, Saudi petrochemical plants, and American pipelines.
Malicious software targeting critical infrastructure is no longer is a subject of Hollywood movies, it is happing in the real world. And it began with an attempt to shut down Iranian nuclear enrichment program.
As tensions escalate in the Middle East, and U.S.-Iran hostilities enter a dangerous new phase, the silent war continues beneath the surface: in servers, control rooms, high-speed internet networks and perhaps still in USB ports.
Tensions have flared up dramatically in the Middle East after the United States launched targeted airstrikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities. Three of Iran’s most critical nuclear sites—Natanz, Fordow, and Arak—were bombed using bunker-busting bombs dropped from B-2 bombers. In the first act of retaliation, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has threatened to completely shut down the Strait of Hormuz, through which almost one-fifth of the world’s oil flows.
The statement came hours after US President Donald Trump confirmed strikes on Fordow, Natanz and Esfahan, key nuclear sites of Iran. In response, IRGC Navy Commander Brigadier General Alireza Tangsiri reportedly warned, “The Strait of Hormuz will be closed within a few hours.” However, closing the Strait of Hormuz completely is easy to say but not that easy to actually do.
What is Strait of Hormuz
The Strait of Hormuz is a narrow channel between Iran and the Omani Musandam Peninsula. It is around 30 miles wide at the narrowest point and connects the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman. The Strait of Hormuz is deep and free of maritime hazards. The depth of the Strait is greatest near the Musandam Peninsula.
Commercial traffic through the Strait moves through the designated Traffic Separation Scheme (TSS) north of the Musandam Peninsula. However, the water is deep enough to accommodate larger ships to pass through an Inshore Traffic Zone south of the Omani island of Didimar. In this area, the Strait is over 650 feet deep. But often, restrictions are imposed on smaller vessels considering peacetime situations. Before 1979, the ITZ was the main shipping channel through the Strait.
There are eight major islands in the Strait, out of which seven are controlled by Iran. There is conflict of ownership of Abu Musa, Greater Tunb and Lesser Tunb islands between Iran and the United Arab Emirates because of their strategic locations. Since the 1970s, Iran has maintained military presence on these islands. Furthermore, Iran’s navy has access to open sea from bases at Chah Bahar, Bandar Abbas and Bushehr. Because of the control on these strategic islands, Iran has strong influence in the waters of the Strait.
Can Iran actually block the Strait of Hormuz? Unlike the Suez, it’s not that simple
Iran may threaten to close the Strait of Hormuz and it looks an easy task for the Islamic nation. However, in reality, it is far more complex than it sounds. Strait of Hormuz is not like the Suez Canal that can be blocked if a ship gets grounded. the Strait of Hormuz is a vast and natural waterway over 30 kilometres wide at its narrowest point.
Iran controls only the northern half of the Strait. The southern half is under the control of Oman, which has consistently championed freedom of navigation. This bilateral geography significantly limits Iran’s capability to enforce a complete blockade without escalating into full-blown war with its neighbouring countries.
While Iran has asymmetric capabilities, including fast-attack boats, naval mines, missiles and drones, any attempt to deploy these would not go unchallenged. The US Navy’s Fifth Fleet is stationed in Bahrain and maintains a permanent presence in the region. The aim of the Fleet is to prevent such disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz.
Furthermore, there are multiple global powers other than the US that routinely patrol these waters to ensure that no single actor can dominate the passage.
Even a temporary disruption in the Strait would invite swift military and diplomatic retaliation. It would also hurt Iran’s own economic interests. Its allies like China will not be happy with the disruption in oil supply through the Strait of Hormuz.
It may also push regional adversaries to unite against Iran. Several countries on the Persian Gulf depend of the strait for marine trade, including UAE, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, and Kuwait. These nations will not like the vital path to be shut down.
Thus, while Iran can certainly raise tensions and delay shipments temporarily, converting the Strait into a non-passable corridor is a far-fetched dream.
Importance of Strait of Hormuz for India
A closure or disruption in the Strait of Hormuz would spell trouble for India. Nearly 70% of its crude oil and almost 40% of its LNG imports pass through this route, with Qatar alone supplying nearly 10 million tonnes of LNG in 2024. Any blockage could severely impact energy security and prices. Additionally, India faces a diplomatic dilemma, having close ties with both Israel and Iran. With Chabahar port and the IMEC corridor already stalled due to rising tensions, India’s strategic and energy interests now hang in delicate balance amidst the worsening Israel-Iran standoff.
Notably, in 2024, India and Iran signed a 10-year pact over Chabahar, allowing India to manage the port for one decade. In 2016, during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Iran, an agreement for Chabahar was inked. When Iran’s president, Hassan Rouhani, paid a visit to India in 2018, the prospect of expanding India’s role at the port was extensively discussed.
Risks to Iran outweigh the rewards
Even if Iran succeeds in disrupting oil traffic for some time, it may not sustain such actions for long. Iran’s own economy is supported by oil production and its sale to the world. China, which buys over three-quarters of Iran’s oil, would be affected. Beijing may exert pressure on Tehran to keep trade lanes open.
Furthermore, by closing the waterways, Iran would risk angering Oman and further straining relations with the Gulf Cooperation Council. Oman has historically advocated for maritime peace, and any hostile act may isolate Iran further in the region.
Iran’s domestic economy is fragile and cannot absorb the shock. Any disruption in oil revenue could trigger unrest among an already agitated population. The regime is grappling with protests and economic distress. Any disruption will result in uncontrollable inflation, leading to compounded internal instability.
Historical context shows restraint
Notably, even during the Iran-Iraq war in the 1980s, when both sides attacked oil tankers, the Strait of Hormuz remained open. Past conflicts have seen escalation, but never a full shutdown of the Strait. Iran has threatened to close the strait several times in the past, but never actually did it. History suggests that Tehran knows the cost of going that far.
In conclusion, while Iran may continue to rattle sabres and use the Strait as a geopolitical pressure point, the possibility of a complete closure remains remote. The Strait of Hormuz is not something that can be easily “blocked”, neither using a halted ship nor military might, certainly not without consequences that Iran may not be ready to bear.
In a tragic incident, a supporter of Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP) was crushed to death by the vehicle of former Andhra Pradesh chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy, during a road show on Wednesday (18TH June). The incident happened near the Lord Anjaneya temple on the National Highway in Etukuru village, Guntur district when Reddy was returning from Rentapalla village in Palnadu district after visiting the family of a former sarpanch, who committed suicide.
55-year-old Cheeli Singaiah, lost his life after being run over by Reddy’s car after he slipped and fell while trying to shower flowers on the former CM. The front right wheel of Reddy’s car ran over Singaiah’s neck, leading to his death. The horrifying incident was caught on camera and the videos showing the man being crushed by Reddy’s car are going viral on the internet
Shocking Visuals: Ex-Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh Jagan Reddys car runs over bystander in rally. https://t.co/tXDzLJDwte
Initially, the police claimed that the victim was run over by a private vehicle which was not part of the official convoy of YSRCP. However, the videos of the incident surfaced on social media show that the victim was brutally crushed under the front wheel of a black car as Reddy was stretching out from the car window on the side of the passenger seat.
It can be seen in the video that Reddy’s car did not stop and kept moving even after the victim was crushed under it. The family of the victim has demanded an investigation into the incident.
Vehicle exceeding permitted number were present in the convoy: Police
Guntur Superintendent of Police S Satish Kumar and Guntur Range IG Sarva Shrestha Tripathi confirmed the incident. SP Kumar said that the victim was rushed to a nearby hospital by police and YSRCP supporters from where he referred to Guntur Government Hospital, where he was declared brought dead.
IG Tripathi said that vehicles exceeding the permitted number were present in Reddy’s convoy. “It’s unfortunate that the victim died in such a manner. Preliminary findings indicate that around 30 to 35 vehicles were in the convoy, even though only three were officially permitted,” said IG Tripathi. “Action will be taken after a thorough inquiry to determine how unauthorised vehicles joined the convoy,” he added. The police have launched an investigation into the matter.
YSRCP puts the blame on the state government
YSRCP leader and former state Minister Ambati Rambabu put the blame for the incident on the TDP-led state government alleging that it failed to provide proper security for the rally. “The government failed to provide the required protection during YS Jagan Mohan Reddy’s tour on one hand and tried to stop people from joining the rally. When a popular leader is on the move, the basic crowd management method of maintaining the circular rope was not ensured and his security was compromised,” Ambati Rambabu said respsonding to the tragic incident on 22nd June.
“The fabricated stories and the death of a person during YS Jagan’s Palnadu tour have been blown out of proportion and versions came out aimed at tarnishing the image of our leader. After the grand success of the tour, the police, under the instructions of higher-ups, tried to implicate YSRCP leaders in the case and backed out only after our intervention,” a statement from YSRCP reportedly stated refuting the reports claiming that Reddy’s car ran over Singaiah.
Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) in Gandhinagar, has stirred a controversy yet again as the social media posts of its member, Professor Amit Arora, Department of Material Science went viral. In some of his posts, Professor expressed support for terrorist organisation Hamas and Umar Khalid, an accused under the UAPA in connection with anti-Hindu Delhi riots. Arora also made some political posts mocking the policies of the Modi government. Following backlash over his social media posts, Arora deleted his account.
On May 27, 2020, Arora posted some comments on the Ram Temple on X. A few months before that, the Supreme Court had passed the verdict in the Ayodhya Ram Mandir dispute and the formation of the Ram Mandir trust was underway.
Amit Arora wrote in his post, “Ram Lalla is in the child who is trying to wake up his mother’s corpse lying on the platform. As long as there is even one such child, Ram Lalla will never come to your temple. Go and build a temple.” This is an example of a typical leftist mindset which always portrays Hindus as inferior by linking any social or economic problem to their temples or Gods. Such things can be in the context of religion or sect, but the leftist minds always target Hindus.
On April 2, 2025, Professor Arora commented on a post made by a leftist account on X questioning why “Sanghis” have started using the name “Bharat” in their conversations instead of “India”. “What is the sudden onset of Sanghis using the name Bharat while conversing about in English about India? What are they trying to do? Trying to fool everyone to make them believe that Bharat is a different developed version of India?” the post read.
Responding to this, Professor Arora wrote, “Nope. Bharat is their Brahmanical, oppressive, and bigoted version of the actual united secular India”.
Professor Arora has also made many comments on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which clearly reflect his bias against the Prime Minister. In June 2024, he posted a photo on X taking a dig at PM Modi.
Meet Mr Amit Arora.
Full-time work: Material Science faculty at IIT Gandhinagar
Part-time work: Twitter troll during and after work hours.
We are paying him salary from our taxes. Can government officers use such language online? pic.twitter.com/iDJ2RSo0cY
In 2020, he posted a photo of 2014 BJP poster with a caption that read, “Nothing left to write here”. The poster said that petrol and diesel prices will be decreased after the Modi government comes to power.
In a recent post from April 25, 2025, Amit Arora wrote, quoting a post by Modi-hating Gujarati journalist Urvish Kothari, “He speaks Hindi when he goes to America and English when he goes to Bihar. His (Modi’s) style of playing is different, the drama never ends.”
Professor Arora has also reposted Ravish Kumar’s posts. He reposted a post of Twitter troll Arpit Sharma, who wrote in support of Umar Khalid that if his name was Umesh or Umang, he would have been out of jail by now. But both Arpit who posted this and the IIT Gandhinagar professor who reposted it forgot that Umar Khalid is accused of plotting anti-Hindu riots. Yet here a deliberate propaganda was spread that he is being persecuted because he is a Muslim.
Meet prof Amit Arora of IIT Gandhinagar. Instead of teaching material science to Engineering students, he is more interested in supporting terrorist Umar Khalid, making fun of Indian war time diplomacy, crying about Islamophobia and glorifying Hamas support by American students.… pic.twitter.com/3zQJt3HlJz
— Eminent Intellectual (@total_woke_) June 8, 2025
After all these posts of the professor came to light, many questions have arisen. There is a debate going on whether teachers working in educational institutions run by the central government and teaching students can make such comments on social media or can they join the gang of those who spread propaganda by promoting their ideology?
These educational institutions run on taxpayers’ money and if professors with such clearly ideological inclinations are working here, spreading their ideology in this way, then what kind of ideological environment will be created for the students studying there, is also a question. Especially for an educational institution like IIT Gandhinagar, which is already surrounded by controversies regarding these subjects.
IIT Gandhinagar is already mired in controversies
IIT Gandhinagar has recently been in the news for the wrong reasons. Few days ago, the prestigious institute stirred controversy after a social media user revealed PhD thesis topics centred on Islamic studies are being undertaken at the Humanities and Social Sciences Department (HSS).
OpIndia reported how students studying in the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences of IIT Gandhinagar had started researching Islamic topics in the name of their annual thesis project. It was difficult to tell from the thesis topics whether it was an educational institution or an Islamic research centre.
When the issue came out in public, an email sent by Professor Nishant Choksi going viral in which he threatened students with disciplinary action, penalties for revealing thesis projects and student information. Professor Choksi was also in news for his association with Adilok NGO, which is said to have a religious agenda.
Later, OpIndia reported in another report how some teachers are associated with controversial NGOs working in tribal areas, while others are active on social media and are propagating leftist ideology. No action was taken in this matter, but now more controversies related to teachers are surfacing one after the other.
