New Delhi [India], March 20 (ANI): Congress leader Shashi Tharoor has described India's response to the ongoing West Asia crisis as an exercise in 'responsible statecraft,' stressing that restraint in such a volatile situation reflects strength rather than weakness.

In an interview with ANI, Tharoor said, 'Restraint is not surrender. Restraint is strength... it shows that we know what our interests are and we will act first of all to protect our interests.'

Referring to the conflict involving Iran, Israel and the United States, Tharoor said India should have expressed condolences earlier following the killing of Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Khamenei, while maintaining a cautious diplomatic stance.

'There is a difference between condemnation and condolence... condolence is an expression of sympathy,' he noted.

Highlighting the broader global impact of the conflict, Tharoor warned of severe economic disruptions, particularly in energy supplies.

'So much of oil and gas supplies have been affected... we are not able to receive it anymore, except in very small instalments,' he said, pointing to shortages of LPG and disruptions in daily life across India.

He added that rising crude oil prices -- from around $64 per barrel at the start of the conflict to between $100 and $120 -- could trigger widespread inflation.

'We're looking at a very serious situation of petrol inflation, which in turn has a knock-on effect on everything,' he said.

Calling for a clearer end goal in the ongoing military campaign, Tharoor questioned the strategic direction of the conflict.

'We don't know exactly what the desired end point is... I would have liked to have thought there was some strategic logic behind this assault,' he said.

He urged countries like India to play a constructive diplomatic role in de-escalation efforts. 'What many countries like us ought to be doing... is to actually take an initiative to call for peace, to give both sides a ladder to climb down,' he said.

Tharoor also expressed concern over the weakening of international law and institutions amid escalating hostilities. 'What we're seeing is that power is taming law... that is a recipe for the law of the jungle,' he warned.

Referring to attacks on energy infrastructure in the region, he said such escalation could have dangerous consequences.

'They can't destroy each other so comprehensively that they will not be able to pick themselves up after the war,' he added.

The Congress leader emphasised that while India has limited options in the face of prolonged conflict, diversification of energy sources and diplomatic engagement remain critical.

'At the bottom line... we are caught over a barrel, as are many other countries,' he said.

The remarks come amid escalating tensions in the Middle East following ongoing military operations and rising concerns about regional security and energy supply routes. (ANI)