NEW DELHI, April 8. /TASS/. India hopes that the ceasefire in the US-Iran war in the Middle East will lead to lasting peace and ensure unobstructed passage of vessels through the Strait of Hormuz, India’s Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement.

"We welcome the reached ceasefire and hope that it will lead to the establishment of lasting peace in West Asia," the ministry said.

"The conflict has already caused immense suffering to people and disrupted global energy supplies and trade chains. We expect that freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz and global trade flows will be ensured," the ministry emphasized.

As the ministry noted, New Delhi has repeatedly stated that de-escalation, dialogue and diplomacy are necessary for an early end to the ongoing conflict.

On April 7, US President Donald Trump announced a two-week mutual ceasefire with Iran. The decision was made in light of a proposal by Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and is "subject to the Islamic Republic of Iran agreeing to the complete, immediate, and safe opening of the Strait of Hormuz", the US leader said. Sharif invited Iranian and US delegations to talks in Islamabad on April 10 to reach a final agreement. According to CNN, the US delegation will include Vice President J.D. Vance, presidential envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.