The global community had hoped that during his ongoing visit to China, U.S. President Donald Trump—upon meeting with Xi Jinping, who faces indirect allegations of supplying weapons and aid to Iran during the Gulf conflict—might be able to foster a mutual understanding that could help rein in the war in the Gulf. If China were to make a decisive move, the blocked Strait of Hormuz could be reopened, and the looming supply crisis threatening the world could be averted.

Meanwhile, representatives from Iran and Saudi Arabia are also participating in the ongoing meeting of BRICS Foreign Ministers being held in India. There was hope that, perhaps due to Iran’s membership in BRICS, some mutual understanding might emerge—that the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz could be lifted, thereby normalizing the global supply of crude oil, gas, and fertilizers.

However, the outcome amounted to nothing more than mere appeals and a consensus that opening the Strait of Hormuz is indeed necessary. This has turned out to be a mere play on words, as the global supply crisis remains exactly where it stood before. The repercussions of this have already begun to manifest in India, where, just yesterday, the prices of petrol and diesel were hiked by Rs 3 per liter each.

Trump and Jinping assert that we should be partners, not rivals. A massive Boeing deal was concluded, yet no practical decision was reached regarding the opening of the Strait of Hormuz; the only consensus achieved was a simple affirmation that, yes, it should be opened. But who is going to open it? A labyrinth of words offers no solutions.

Our External Affairs Minister, S. Jaishankar, stated that India stands ready to offer its services to de-escalate tensions in West Asia; however, no operational framework was established regarding how the Strait of Hormuz would actually be opened. Indeed, India has advocated for safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz, yet the BRICS summit remained devoid of any concrete resolution or joint communiqué.

One gets the distinct impression that the nations involved have no desire to put an end to this deadly game of dust and blood—either because it fuels their arms sales or simply serves to gratify their egos. If the world burns in the fires of inflation, then let it burn.