New Delhi, April 8 -- India on Wednesday welcomed the two-week ceasefire agreed by the United States and Iran in the war in West Asia that started six weeks ago. 

"We welcome the ceasefire reached and hope that it will lead to a lasting peace in West Asia. As we have continuously advocated earlier, de-escalation, dialogue and diplomacy are essential to bring an early end to the ongoing conflict," the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement.

"The conflict has already caused immense suffering to people and disrupted global energy supply and trade networks. We expect that unimpeded freedom of navigation and global flow of commerce would prevail through the Strait of Hormuz," the statement read.

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