Two merchant vessels carrying petroleum products destined for India are crossing the Strait of Hormuz. Indian Navy warships are on standby to provide support if necessary. More vessels are expected to follow in the coming hours. This development comes as India increases its efforts to protect its energy supply lines through one of the world’s most critical and currently most unstable maritime chokepoints.

At a joint inter-ministerial briefing, Rajesh Kumar Sinha, Special Secretary in the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, confirmed that all Indian-flagged ships and seafarers in the region are safe. “In the Gulf region, there has been no information in the last 24 hours regarding any incident involving Indian-flagged ships or Indian seafarers. All are safe,” Sinha said. He added that 20 Indian-flagged ships carrying about 540 Indian nationals are currently operating in the Persian Gulf, all accounted for and secure. The Directorate General of Shipping’s communication center operates around the clock, handling 98 calls and 335 emails in the past 24 hours alone. They responded to concerns from seafarers, shipowners, and families.

On the diplomatic front, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal reaffirmed India’s position at the weekly media briefing. He stated that New Delhi is actively working with global partners to ensure stability. “We continue to call for ensuring safe and free navigation through the Strait of Hormuz as a priority,” Jaiswal said. In a significant development, four vessels bound for India carrying liquefied petroleum gas successfully navigated the strait on Friday. This shows that safe passage, while difficult, remains possible with careful coordination. With energy security at stake, India is using both naval force and diplomatic efforts to keep its supply lines open.