Bhubaneswar: Two India-flagged liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) tankers operated by the Shipping Corporation of India have successfully crossed the strategically crucial Strait of Hormuz and are now heading towards India, officials said on Sunday.
The vessels — Shivalik and Nanda Devi — navigated the narrow sea lane amid heightened tensions in the Gulf region following recent military escalations involving the United States, Israel and Iran. Sources described the transit as a carefully coordinated operation conducted with the cooperation of Iran and other countries in the region.
The passage of the two tankers comes after a series of high-level diplomatic engagements between India and Iran in recent days. S. Jaishankar, India’s External Affairs Minister, held four rounds of telephone conversations with his Iranian counterpart Seyed Abbas Araghchi on February 28, March 5, March 10 and March 12, focusing on ensuring the safety of Indian vessels and seafarers in the region.
In addition, Narendra Modi spoke with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Thursday to discuss the evolving security situation and safe maritime navigation in the Gulf.
According to officials, the tanker Shivalik is carrying approximately 40,000 metric tonnes of LPG, while Nanda Devi is also transporting a substantial quantity of gas supplies bound for India.
The successful transit is significant because hundreds of vessels had been stranded on either side of the Strait of Hormuz after U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran triggered retaliatory actions by Tehran, raising security concerns along one of the world’s most important shipping routes between Iran and Oman.
In a related development, another India-flagged oil tanker, Jag Prakash, has also resumed its voyage after departing from the eastern side of the strait. The vessel is transporting gasoline from Oman to Africa, according to Rajesh Kumar Sinha, Special Secretary in India’s Ministry of Shipping.
New Delhi has stepped up efforts to ensure safe passage for more than two dozen Indian-flagged merchant ships currently located near the strait. Officials estimate that around 28 Indian vessels had been caught in the disruption caused by the ongoing crisis.
The government is also closely monitoring the safety of about 23,000 Indian seafarers working across merchant, harbour and offshore vessels in the wider Gulf region.
The Strait of Hormuz is a vital maritime corridor through which a significant portion of the world’s oil and gas shipments pass. Any disruption to traffic in the narrow waterway can have far-reaching implications for global energy markets and international trade.
