External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar has reportedly hailed direct talks with Iran as the most efficient way to resume shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz.
According to ANI, in an interview with the Financial Times UK, the EAM stated that India is currently engaging with Iran to facilitate the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.
Jaishankar stated that these discussions are “already yielding some results,” and also suggested that New Delhi finds it more effective to “reason and coordinate” with Tehran rather than disengage.
“Certainly, from India’s perspective, it is better that we reason and we coordinate and we get a solution than we don’t. While this is a welcome development, there is continuing conversation because there is continued work on that,” Jaishankar added.
The EAM also highlighted the recent passage of two Indian-flagged vessels, Shivalik and Nanda Devi, as a practical success of this diplomatic strategy.
However, Jaishankar further clarified that a formal “blanket arrangement” for all Indian-flagged ships has not yet been established.
The Minister explained that the transit of vessels is currently being managed on a “case-by-case basis.”
The tankers, carrying approximately 92,712 metric tonnes of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), are currently en route to the Indian ports of Mundra and Kandla.
These remarks follow warnings from US President Donald Trump regarding potential additional strikes on Iran’s Kharg Island.
Addressing India’s specific diplomatic path, Jaishankar maintained that India’s strategy is based on sustained dialogue.
Meanwhile, in a related incident, the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas confirmed that the Indian-flagged tanker Jag Laadki departed from Fujairah on Sunday.
The waterway is vital for global energy, with nearly 20 per cent of the world’s oil exports passing through it.
Trump calls on 7 nations to deploy warships for Strait of Hormuz protection
Earlier, US President Donald Trump announced that he had requested around seven nations to deploy warships to assist in maintaining transit routes through the Strait of Hormuz.
US President’s remarks on Sunday (US local time) follow reports indicating his intention to establish an international coalition to provide escorts for vessels navigating the strait.
While Trump did not specify the invited countries, he highlighted that the selected nations are those with a high level of dependency on Middle Eastern oil supplies.
Speaking to journalists on Air Force One, he said, “We’re talking to countries about policing the straits because they are the ones — you know, we don’t get oil, very little, 1 per cent. China, as an example, gets about 90 per cent of its oil from the Hormuz Strait. It’d be nice to have other countries policing with us. And we’ll help, and we’ll work with them.”
US President also said, “I’m demanding that these countries come in and protect their own territory because it is their own territory.”
These developments come amid rising tensions in the Middle East linked to the ongoing conflict involving the United States, Israel, and Iran.
(with ANI inputs)
