11 Indian ships safely transit Strait of Hormuz
Eleven India-bound vessels have successfully passed through the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz after the United States and Iran finalised a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at ending the prolonged conflict in West Asia.
Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal shared the positive update during the weekly media briefing on Tuesday, highlighting the easing of maritime tensions in the Persian Gulf region.
“As of today, we have 10 Indian-flagged vessels which are still in the Persian Gulf region. In addition, two have recently arrived there,” Jaiswal said.
He further informed that since the signing of the MoU on June 17, as many as 11 India-bound vessels have already transited through the Strait of Hormuz.
The vessels that have made the journey include three Indian-flagged crude oil tankers, each loaded with over 285,000 metric tonnes of crude oil, one foreign-flagged LPG carrier, one foreign-flagged crude oil tanker, and six foreign-flagged bulk carriers carrying fertiliser cargo.
Jaiswal expressed optimism about the remaining ships, stating, “We hope that the remaining India-flagged vessels would also be able to cross the Hormuz soon.”
The Strait of Hormuz is a critical chokepoint for global oil trade, with nearly 20 per cent of the world’s petroleum passing through it daily. The successful transit of these vessels comes as a major relief for India, which relies heavily on crude oil and fertiliser imports from the Gulf region.
The US-Iran MoU is being seen as a key diplomatic breakthrough that has helped de-escalate tensions, allowing safer passage for merchant shipping in one of the world’s busiest and most sensitive maritime routes.
