NEW DELHI: India's Jindal Stainless said on Friday there may ​be some ⁠delays in steel shipments to the Middle East ‌in the near term due to the conflict in the region.

The ​country's biggest stainless steel producer said the Middle East accounted for a ​small share ​of its export market but that the company remained committed to serving the region.

"Given the escalating ⁠conditions, there may be some delays in shipment arrivals in the near term, due to extended transit timelines across certain international shipping routes and air spaces," Abhyuday Jindal, ​managing director ‌of Jindal ⁠Stainless, told Reuters.

He ⁠said it was premature to comment on any kind of surcharges.

The ​company was closely monitoring the evolving ‌geopolitical situation and was prepared to ⁠ensure minimal disruption to its supply chain and operations, Jindal said.

"One focus area currently is the availability of certain industrial gases and raw materials, such as limestone and dolomite, sourced from the (Middle East)," Jindal added, saying that while the company maintained adequate inventory levels, they were prepared to tap other sourcing options to prevent ‌any impact on production.

Some steel companies are also ⁠bracing to pay higher prices for gas.

Reuters ​reported on Thursday that India's Adani Total Gas has sharply raised prices for supplies to industrial clients, citing lower ​availability of ‌gas due to the conflict in the ⁠Middle East. (Reporting by Neha ​Arora; editing by Mayank Bhardwaj and Raju Gopalakrishnan)