A Calling for India

Indian authorities, barring some restrictions on commercial LPG, have not launched any public conservation campaigns. They have so far sought to reassure people to carry on~a message that is understandable and aimed at avoiding panic. But in doing so, is India missing an opportunity to become a permanently smarter, less wasteful nation?

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“The greatest threat to global energy security in history.” That is how the International Energy Agency has described the crisis. It was triggered by U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28, followed by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz ~ through which nearly a fifth of global oil flows daily. As a counter measure, the U.S. imposed a naval blockade of Iranian ports.

A fragile two-week ceasefire came into effect on April 8, but diplomatic efforts in Islamabad, which brought the U.S. and Iran to the same table, failed. Iran temporarily reopened the Strait of Hormuz on April 17 for a brief period following a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Lebanon.

A day later, Iran’s Sepah Navy reportedly forced back west out of the Strait of Hormuz two Indian-flagged vessels, including a Very Large Crude Carrier (VLCC) carrying 2 million barrels of Iraqi crude, according to TankerTrackers.com, effectively re-closing the Strait. India voiced “deep concern” over the “shooting incident.”

The name ‘Hormuz’ derives from ‘Ahura Mazda’ ~ the god of wisdom. This crisis has already begun imparting that wisdom: to nations, the necessity of conservation; to citizens, the meaning of civic responsibility.

Governments, rich and developing alike ~ from Seoul to Colombo ~ have been forced to ask their citizens to consume less, and most have responded with creativity. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese used a rare address to the nation to urge people to use public transport, which has been made free in some states, and to avoid overfilling their cars. Slovenia and Sri Lanka have limited each citizen to a certain number of litres of fuel per day. Thailand has ordered civil servants to take the stairs and set air conditioners to 27°C.