Navy escorts ships in Hormuz
Taking note of the firing on two Indian ships in the Strait of Hormuz last week, India has issued a fresh advisory to Indian flagged vessels to avoid passing close through the Larak Island and transit only when directed by it to ensure safety. The Indian Navy has also stepped up its measures to ensure safety of all Indian ships waiting to traverse through the Strait of Hormuz, it was learnt.
The Navy has deployed at least seven of its ships near the Persian Gulf for this endeavor and are escorting the Indian vessels once they cross the Strait of Hormuz.
At present, fourteen Indian ships are still in the Persian Gulf, waiting to cross Hormuz. The Indian Navy remains in constant communication with these vessels and has advised them to move only after clearance.
The fresh advisory, meanwhile, comes after the firing incident on two Indian vessels by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) on April 18. Since then, the Indian Navy has further shored up its security drills, it was learnt.
As tensions continue in the region, 11 Indian vessels have already crossed the strait so far. The last tanker, Desh Garima, crossed on April 18 — the same day two Indian vessels, Jag Arnav and Sanmar Herald, had to turn back after being fired upon by Iranian Guards while attempting the passage.
After crossing the strait, Desh Garima is now being escorted by the Indian Navy in the Arabian Sea and is expected to arrive in Mumbai on April 22.
As regards the caution for the Larak Island, it is located at the narrowest point of the Strait of Hormuz and is home to a major portion of Iran’s oil infrastructure. As it is critical to Iran’s energy sector, the surrounding waters are heavily guarded, and traffic through Hormuz is closely monitored through a network of bunkers and radar systems.
The Larak Island lies south of Hormuz Island in the roughly 33-km-wide Strait of Hormuz, a key chokepoint that carried about 20% of global oil before the Iran-US conflict.
According to reports, several Iranian bases operate there as well, capable of deploying smaller, faster boats to target vessels.
For now, this is being treated as the safer shipping corridor, passing between Hormuz and Larak islands. The pre-war lane further south near the Oman coast is currently being avoided, with reports suggesting possible mine-related risks in the area.
With Indian vessels now advised against passing close to Larak Island, the passage of any Indian ship through the Strait of Hormuz remains uncertain unless it receives clearance from the Indian Navy.
