Shebonti Ray Dadwal replies: ISIS has lost control over major oil fields in Iraq since mid-2015, and although it still controls some parts of Iraq, the oil trade in eastern Syria is now one of the only means it can make money from oil. The main oil-producing regions of Iraq are still under the control of Baghdad and despite security and financial problems the crude production has grown substantially over the last five years, reaching 4.4 mbd in the third quarter of 2015 as against 2 mbd earlier.

Prasanta Kumar Pradhan replies: The ISIS has emerged as a major security threat in the West Asian region. As India has huge stakes in the region, the rise of the ISIS and its implications has been of concern for India. So far the ISIS has not been a direct physical challenge for India, but India needs to remain cautious of the potential threat. The ISIS has in the past threatened to launch attacks on India. In fact, Indian nationals have been captured by the ISIS in Iraq and Libya.