External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar will travel to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) this week, marking the first visit by an Indian minister since the onset of the Iran war on February 28. His trip, scheduled from April 9 to April 12, includes a stop in Mauritius for the Indian Ocean Conference (IOC). A key focus of Jaishankar's discussions will be energy security, particularly in light of the recent two-week ceasefire agreement between the US and Iran. India has expressed support for this ceasefire, emphasizing the need for de-escalation, dialogue, and diplomacy to resolve the ongoing conflict, which has caused significant suffering and disrupted global energy supply chains. The conflict began with coordinated airstrikes by the US and Israel on Iran, resulting in numerous casualties and retaliatory strikes by Iran affecting Gulf nations. The Ministry of External Affairs has called for unimpeded freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, which has been a critical shipping passage impacted by the conflict.