INDIA STOCKS-Indian shares open lower as Trump's Iran deadline looms

April 7 (Reuters) - Indian shares opened lower on Tuesday, pressured by the prospect of escalation in the Middle East war and a looming a deadline set by U.S. President Donald Trump on reaching a deal.

The Nifty 50 .NSEI was down 0.95% at 22,749.05 and the Sensex .BSESN shed 0.90% to 73,450.31 as of 9:18 a.m. IST.

Fifteen of the 16 major sectors declined. The broader small-caps .NIFSMCP100 and mid-caps .NIFMDCP100 lost 0.9% and 1.5%, respectively.

The U.S. president reiterated threats to strike Iran's power plants and civilian infrastructure unless Tehran reaches a deal by 8 p.m. EDT Tuesday, or 5:30 a.m. IST on Wednesday, to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Iran said it wanted a permanent end to the conflict and not a temporary ceasefire.

Brent crude LCOc1 hovered around $111 per barrel. Elevated crude prices strain India's import bill and weigh on economic growth and corporate margins. O/R

The Nifty and the Sensex have each fallen about 10% since the Iran war began on February 28.