The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is advised to boost energy diversification and strengthen ties with reliable partners like India following vulnerabilities exposed by the West Asia crisis, a report stated. According to a report by Malaysian media outlet Bernama, Associate Professor Rahul Mishra from Jawaharlal Nehru University emphasized the need for ASEAN countries to engage more with middle and emerging powers in the Indo-Pacific region. Mishra recommended closer collaboration with nations such as Japan, Australia, India, Turkey, and the European Union, which are becoming crucial energy partners for Southeast Asia.
The report highlighted that smaller Southeast Asian economies have been disproportionately affected by global energy shocks, underscoring the necessity for partnerships with more dependable and resilient allies for long-term energy security. Mishra pointed out that countries like Thailand and the Philippines are already facing the impact, while Malaysia, due to some energy self-sufficiency, is less affected. Additionally, the West Asia conflict, stemming from US-Israel strikes on Iran and subsequent retaliatory actions by Tehran, disrupted energy supplies via the vital global transit route of the Strait of Hormuz.
Global oil inventories that can be accessed without disrupting supply chains may be depleted within three weeks, posing a risk of market strain by mid-June, as per another report. While global oil inventories were at 8.4 billion barrels in early 2026, only a limited portion is readily usable without straining supply systems, the report cautioned.
