Iran has asked India for the release of three seized tankers in exchange for the safe passage of Indian-flagged or India-bound ships through the Strait of Hormuz.
India earlier seized the tankers, Asphalt Star, Al Jafzia, and Stellar Ruby, accusing them of concealing identities and conducting illegal ship-to-ship transfers. Stellar Ruby flies Iran’s flag, while the others are registered to Nicaragua and Mali.
Tehran has also sought supplies of certain medicines and medical equipment, according to one of the sources, an Iranian official. Iran’s ambassador to New Delhi met Indian foreign ministry officials on Monday to discuss the issue, the source told Reuters.
Earlier today, Indian LPG carrier Shivalik, laden with 40,000 metric tonnes of LPG, docked safely at Gujarat’s Mundra Port after navigating out of the Strait of Hormuz overnight.
At the Inter-Ministerial briefing on West Asia developments, Ministry of Ports Special Secretary Rajesh Kumar Sinha confirmed priority berthing and documentation for Shivalik to expedite cargo discharge without delays.
The Indian-flagged vessel, ‘Jag Laadki’, which sailed from the UAE, carrying about 81,000 tonnes of Murban crude oil, is also safely en route to India.
According to the Shipping Ministry, all Indian seafarers in the Persian Gulf area are safe, and no incident has been reported in the last 24 hours. Consequently, there are now 22 Indian-flagged vessels remaining in the Persian Gulf, carrying a total of 611 seafarers.
The External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has advocated direct talks with Tehran as the swiftest path to restore Strait of Hormuz shipping, safeguarding India’s energy needs amid West Asia’s rising tensions.
In a Financial Times interview, he revealed New Delhi’s ongoing engagement with Iran to reopen the waterway, which channels nearly 20% of global oil trade.
He noted that these discussions are “already yielding some results,” suggesting that India finds it more effective to “reason and coordinate” with Tehran rather than disengage.
However, Jaishankar noted no formal “blanket arrangement” exists yet for all Indian-flagged ships, with transits handled on a case-by-case basis.
(with ANI inputs)
