New Delhi, July 2 -- Amid escalating tensions in West Asia and persistent volatility across global energy markets, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi have issued a powerful joint directive calling for the absolute protection of international shipping lanes.

In a joint statement released on Thursday following the 16th India-Japan Annual Summit, both leaders highlighted the strategic necessity of keeping the Strait of Hormuz open to guarantee uninterrupted global commerce and resilient energy corridors.

As two of the world's premier energy-consuming economies, India and Japan are acutely vulnerable to supply disruptions in the Middle East. The prime ministers explicitly warned against any geopol...