New Delhi: As fighting between Iran and the US and Israel escalates through missile and drone exchanges and attacks on shipping lanes in the Gulf, India on Tuesday (March 3) expanded its official assessment of the conflict, warning of “great anxiety” due to mounting deaths, economic disruption and direct risks to Indian nationals and trade routes.Just three days earlier, the February 28 statement issued by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) at the outset of the latest round of hostilities had been brief. It expressed concern, urged restraint and called for respect for the “sovereignty and territorial integrity of all states”. That phrase, a standard diplomatic formulation that implicitly applies to cross-border strikes, is notably absent from Tuesday’s statement.Where the earlier text had called for dialogue to “de-escalate tensions”, the latest statement goes further, with India now calling for “an early end to the conflict”.Acknowledging the widening regional impact, the MEA said on Tuesday that the situation had “deteriorated significantly and continuously” since the fighting began and that the conflict had spread “to other nations”. It said “destruction and deaths” were mounting “even as normal life and economic activities come to a halt”.The statement described India as “a proximate neighbour with critical stakes in the security and stability of the region”, which has caused “these developments [to] evoke great anxiety”.New Delhi also quantified its exposure, stating that “almost one crore Indian citizens” live and work in the Gulf.The United Arab Emirates hosts the largest contingent at 3.4 to 3.5 million Indian citizens, followed by Saudi Arabia with 2.5 to 3 million and just over one million in Kuwait. Qatar and Oman each host more than 700,000 Indians, while Bahrain has around 300,000 to 320,000. Most are employed in construction, retail, hospitality, healthcare and other service sectors.Indian missions have issued repeated advisories urging nationals to remain indoors where required, register with embassies and avoid conflict zones. Emergency hotlines are operating to assist those stranded by flight cancellations and border closures. In the last 24 hours, there has been a steady trickle-back of Indians stranded in the Gulf states as airlines have begun to start limited flights.For the first time, the MEA statement confirmed Indian casualties, which had so far been flagged by individual diplomatic missions, but didn’t directly condemn them. “Some Indian nationals have lost their lives or are missing as a result of such attacks in the last few days,” the statement said, referring to attacks on merchant shipping. India said it is “firmly opposed” to such attacks.It warned that “our trade and energy supply chains also traverse this geography” and that “any major disruption has serious consequences for the Indian economy”.India imports about 85% to 90% of its crude oil requirement, roughly 5.5 to 5.6 million barrels per day, with more than one-thirds moving through the Strait of Hormuz. Around half of its liquefied natural gas imports also depend on that route, including about 40% sourced from Qatar under long-term contracts.Global benchmark Brent crude crossed $85 per barrel on Tuesday, rising amid supply concerns. A blockade of the strait could push prices above $90 to $100 per barrel, adding billions of dollars to India’s import bill and increasing pressure on inflation and the rupee.Prime Minister Narendra Modi and external affairs minister S. Jaishankar have both held calls with their counterparts, the ministry said. It described India as “in touch with the Governments of this region as well as other key partners”. “Government will continue to closely monitor the evolving situation and take relevant decisions in the national interest,” the MEA statement concluded.Modi’s outreach has been directed at Arab leaders in the Gulf, with no publicly confirmed conversation with Iranian officials.On Tuesday, Modi spoke with Oman’s Sultan Haitham bin Tarik, Kuwait’s Crown Prince Sheikh Sabah al-Khaled al-Hamad al-Sabah and Qatar’s Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani. In each call, Modi condemned attacks on those countries without taking Iran’s name and discussed the welfare and security of Indian nationals.Oman stated the leaders discussed the recent military escalation’s impact on regional security and emphasised “concerted international efforts” for de-escalation and diplomacy. Qatar’s official readout said the amir reassured Modi about the Indian community’s welfare in Doha amid the crisis.Modi also spoke with Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed al-Nahyan, Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa, Jordan’s King Abdullah II and Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over the last two days.The absence of any reference to contact with Iranian officials is notable given India’s historical ties with Tehran, including the Chabahar port project, jointly developed as a connectivity gateway to Afghanistan and Central Asia.India has not issued any condemnation of the US and Israeli strikes on Iran, including the killing of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, despite strong criticism from the Indian domestic opposition.