India, April 3 -- Disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz have had a severe economic impact and are causing energy instability in the region, said admiral D K Tripathi, chief of naval staff, in Mumbai on Thursday.

The strait, an international waterway between Iran and Oman, controls a large volume of global oil flow and is in focus due to the war in West Asia, which is well into its fifth week.

Tripathi and Union minister of state for defence, Sanjay Seth, were in Mumbai to flag off the second edition of the Indian Ocean Ship Sagar initiative, where the INS Sunayna, an offshore patrol vessel, set sail from Mumbai to promote maritime cooperation.

"Competition at sea is no longer confined to oil and energy. It is now expanding towards resour...