With the shipping routes in West Asia disrupted and global carriers pulling back, India swiftly rerouted trade to keep essential exports flowing, even as the overall shipments to the region plunged sharply amid the crisis. Another factor that helped was the urgent need for food and agricultural products in the region, which also led authorities there to create special facilities for receiving cargo and ensuring its quick movement. While essentials have gone through, the absence of regular shipping channels has resulted in exports of engineering goods, electronics, petroleum products and some other heavy items coming to a complete halt. India’s monthly exports to the region are around $6 billion. However, in March, only $2.5 billion could go through, a decline of 58% year-on-year.

"Measures taken by different departments and agencies have ensured uninterrupted supply of perishable products to the West Asia region. It has also resulted in significantly diversified routing options and reduced dependency on congested ports", a commerce ministry official said.

Khorfakkan Port in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) was operationalized in the first week of March. A priority docking and bonded corridor to Jebel Ali, one of the largest logistics hubs in the world, was established, the official said. Khorfakkan, on the east coast of the UAE, is acting as a strategic alternative to the Strait of Hormuz. It is roughly 120-140 km from major UAE hubs like Dubai and Sharjah. While outside the tightest choke point, it saw some attacks by Iran in the early stages of the war.

To move goods to West Asia, exporters are also using feeder vessels to transport cargo from India’s west coast, Mundra and Nhava Sheva, to safer alternative ports such as Khorfakkan, Jeddah in Saudi Arabia and Aqaba in Jordan. The Oman-UAE Green Corridor has been activated for smoother cargo movement to markets of the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), the official said.