Donald Trump, the president of the United States of America, has announced a five-day pause on his threat to bomb Iran’s energy and power infrastructure, claiming that Washington and Tehran were engaged in productive talks. The latest comments by Mr Trump, delivered through his preferred megaphone — the Truth Social platform — offer welcome, if temporary, relief to a world on edge since his threat, issued on Saturday night, to target Iran’s power grid. Following Mr Trump’s threat, Iran had warned that it would hit energy and water infrastructure across the Gulf region and Israel — spooking a region and world that have learnt to take Tehran’s threats seriously. But the five-day window that the US president has left for talks with Iran also represents a moment for the rest of the world, including India, to reflect on the deep vulnerabilities to their economies and security that have been exposed by more than three weeks of escalating conflict. Already, this war has pulled multiple nations into its orbit — Gulf countries that Iran has attacked, nations like the United Kingdom and France whose bases have been targeted, and countries like India and others facing an unprecedented energy crisis.

For these nations to be able to defy the gravity of the conflict, they must devise alternative supply-chain routes and security arrangements to the ones they have traditionally relied on. The Indian government must continue to engage with Iran on ensuring transit access for the country’s oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz. At the same time, it must work with Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Oman on accessing oil from ports beyond the strait, which Iran dominates. India has strategic oil reserves — but must build more. And it must lobby Mr Trump’s administration to lift broader US sanctions on Russian oil so that India can purchase that crude to keep global energy prices in check. India, Europe and other democracies unhappy with the unilateral war being waged by the US and Israel, and troubled by Iran’s response, should simultaneously discuss new security partnerships that reduce their dependence on the US. As Mr Trump’s flip-flops on the war have shown, the US is no longer a reliable partner. The war could end soon, or it could escalate again. India and other nations need to be prepared for both situations.