<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:
"Times New Roman",serif">In response to the total operational closure of the
Strait of Hormuz and intensifying shipping disruptions in the Persian Gulf, the
<b>Ministry of Commerce</b> has implemented an emergency maritime and overland
bypass framework. Under the newly structured logistics pipeline, Indian
merchandise bound for the <b>Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)</b> is being
strategically rerouted through deep-water ports in Oman, the Hatta Border
crossing, and specialized hubs in Dubai and Khor Fakkan. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:
"Times New Roman",serif">Given the acute cargo backlogs and high freight
premiums triggered by the regional crisis, government officials confirmed that
India is prioritizing and clearing only essential goods predominantly
perishable foods, FMCG supplies, and critical pharmaceuticals for Middle
Eastern destinations. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:14.0pt;line-height:115%;
font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Emergency Supply Corridors and Multimodal
Logistics<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<ul style="margin-top:0cm" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:14.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Perishable
Logistics Grid</span></b><span style="font-size:14.0pt;line-height:115%;
font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">: To prevent decay and sustain food
security links across the Gulf, the Ministry of Commerce has diverted the
vast majority of India's cold-chain and agricultural exports directly to <b>Khor
Fakkan Port</b> on the Gulf of Oman, bypassing the volatile inner gulf
channels entirely. <o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:14.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">The
Landward Transit Loop</span></b><span style="font-size:14.0pt;line-height:
115%;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">: Non-perishable essentials are
being discharged at Omani coastal gateways and trucked overland into the
UAE and Saudi Arabia via the <b>Hatta Border</b> checkpoint. Food staples
continue to be processed systematically through dedicated clearance loops
in Dubai.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:14.0pt;line-height:115%;
font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Macroeconomic Cost Impacts and Trade
Compression<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<ul style="margin-top:0cm" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:14.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Deep
Contraction in Volumes</span></b><span style="font-size:14.0pt;line-height:
115%;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">: The extreme operational
friction has led to a major slowdown in bilateral commerce. Commerce
Secretary Rajesh Agrawal revealed that India’s merchandise exports to West
Asia contracted sharply to <b>$4.16 billion in April</b>, a steep drop
from the $5.78 billion recorded in the same month last year. <o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:14.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Bilateral
Strain and Divergent Trends</span></b><span style="font-size:14.0pt;
line-height:115%;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">: Total trade with
the West Asian corridor collapsed by over <b>28% in April</b>, marking the
second consecutive month of severe, war-induced cargo decline. Exports to
the UAE dropped 36.39% to $2.18 billion, while outward shipments to Saudi
Arabia fell to $852 million. Conversely, inbound trade lanes showed stark
divergence: imports from the UAE plunged 34.63% to $4.07 billion, while
emergency energy or mineral purchases from Oman surged by a staggering <b>246.42%
to $1.48 billion</b>.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul>