Last Updated:March 16, 2026, 19:12 IST

Two of the ships including INS Surat have been there in the vicinity as per their mission-based deployment, while the third ship is present for escort purposes

The Strait of Hormuz has been virtually shut due to the West Asia conflict. (Representational image: AFP)

Amid the US-Israel-Iran war and shutting of the Strait of Hormuz, three Indian Navy ships have been providing escort to the vessels bound to India, according to sources.

Two of the ships including INS Surat have been there in the vicinity as per their mission-based deployment, while the third ship is present for escort purposes. These ships are in the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea.

Several attacks on the merchant vessels have happened in the Gulf of Oman too, so the danger persists even beyond Hormuz. The navy escort for the vessels bound to India is mainly meant for deterrence. While the Arabian Sea is a safe passage, the escort is necessary to send a message that a warship is present to counter threats, said sources.

The Strait of Hormuz, the Persian Gulf’s only access to the Arabian Sea, handles around 20 per cent of global crude oil and natural gas supplies. Iran has blocked the route in retaliation for US and Israeli attacks.

2 India-flagged tankers crossed the Strait of Hormuz

Two Indian-flagged tankers, Shivalik and Nanda Devi, carrying around 92,700 metric tonnes of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) safely crossed the Strait of Hormuz. The vessels are expected to arrive at the ports of Mundra and Kandla within a few days. The movement of Shivalik came after intense diplomatic engagement between India and Iran to ensure safe passage for Indian-flagged ships amid the ongoing regional crisis.

Earlier, reports had indicated that India was in talks with Iran to secure passage for up to eight LPG tankers stranded in the Gulf region due to the conflict.

No blanket arrangement, says EAM S Jaishankar

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said there is “no blanket arrangement” with Iran to allow Indian vessels to pass through the strategic waterway. According to him, the ongoing talks with Iran helped the two Indian-flagged gas tankers pass through the key oil route, even as Tehran continues to restrict traffic during its conflict with the United States and Israel.

Jaishankar said discussions with Iran had produced “some results” but described the process as “ongoing”, Financial Times reported. He said every ship movement was handled individually and denied that Iran had received anything in exchange for allowing the two tankers through.

“It’s not an exchange issue. India and Iran have a relationship. And this is a conflict that we regard as something very unfortunate,” he said.

He added that discussions were continuing as more Indian ships remained in the region. “These are still early days. We have many more ships there. So while this is a welcome development, there is continuing conversation because there is continued work on that,” Jaishankar said.

Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and discussed the transit of goods and energy.

Strait of Hormuz open to most vessels: Iran’s Foreign Minister

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Saturday has said the strait “remains open” to most vessels and is only closed to ships belonging to the United States, Israel and their allies. “As a matter of fact, the Strait of Hormuz is open. It is only closed to the tankers and ships belonging to our enemies, to those who are attacking us and their allies. Others are free to pass,” he said.

With inputs from News18’s Akash Sharma

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