UAE downplays India’s fuel concern

The UAE on Wednesday downplayed India’s concerns about rising fuel prices and a possible oil shortage after the six-month US relief to stop imports of Iranian oil by New Delhi ends, saying the emirates and Saudi Arabia have stood very strongly with India to cover the deficit in the past.

Amid protests against a proposed refinery in Maharashtra involving India, the UAE and Saudi Arabia, the UAE envoy to India Ahmad Al Banna said the state government will allocate land in coming weeks. In a media briefing this week, Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale said Prime Minister Narendra Modi will raise the issue of volatility in global oil prices at the G20 Summit in Argentina.