Two Indian LPG Tankers Safely Transit Strait of Hormuz

Two Indian-flagged vessels carrying liquefied petroleum gas successfully passed through the strategically critical Strait of Hormuz on Saturday, reaching open waters without incident despite heightened regional tensions linked to the ongoing conflict involving Iran, Israel, and the United States.

Indian authorities confirmed that the two vessels, Shivalik and Nanda Devi, crossed the narrow maritime passage early Saturday morning and are now en route to ports on India’s western coast.

Speaking at a press briefing in New Delhi, Rajesh Kumar Sinha, Secretary-General of India’s Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, said the ships were transporting approximately 92,700 metric tons of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG).

The cargo vessels are expected to arrive at the western Indian ports of Mundra Port and Kandla Port within the next two days.

The successful transit follows a series of diplomatic contacts between India and Iran aimed at ensuring the safe passage of energy shipments through the waterway, which serves as one of the world’s most critical energy transport corridors.

India’s External Affairs Minister, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, held discussions with his Iranian counterpart, Abbas Araghchi, regarding the security of shipping lanes and the continued flow of energy supplies.

At the leadership level, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi also spoke by phone with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian to address concerns over the safety of energy and commodity shipments originating from the Gulf region.

The transit occurred against the backdrop of disruptions in maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, after Iran reportedly restricted portions of vessel movement following the outbreak of hostilities roughly two weeks ago.

The narrow waterway links the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and is widely regarded as one of the world’s most critical chokepoints for global energy trade. A significant share of global oil and gas shipments passes through the strait each day, making any disruption a potential risk to international energy markets.

India remains heavily dependent on energy imports from the Middle East. The country ranks among the world’s largest importers of liquefied natural gas and is the second-largest global importer of liquefied petroleum gas, widely used for cooking fuel and industrial applications.