Indian navy has deployed multiple warships to the Gulf: Report
At least two warships were known to have been on operational standby since Iran started the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz that connects the Persian Gulf (west) to the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea
The Indian Navy has deployed multiple warships to the Gulf region to escort merchant vessels carrying fuel to India amid heightened maritime tension in the region, The Indian Express reported today citing sources.
At least two warships were known to have been on operational standby since Iran started the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz that connects the Persian Gulf (west) to the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea (east).
Under the Navy's 'Operation Sankalp,' warships remain deployed in the Gulf of Aden and Gulf of Oman for anti-piracy operations and to secure maritime trade.
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Following the West Asian crisis, multiple warships have sailed to the region, the sources said, according to the newspaper.
They had earlier indicated that India was in discussions with Iran to facilitate the safe passage of vessels headed for India, particularly energy tankers, through the Strait of Hormuz.
Maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, which usually accounts for a fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG) flows and a bulk of India's energy imports, has been severely hit since the West Asia military conflict started on February 28. A number of merchant vessels have come under attack in the region in recent days.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke with Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian on Thursday and talked about "unhindered transit of goods and energy" as one of India's top priorities.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar also had telephonic conversations with his Iranian counterpart Seyed Abbas Araghchi on four separate occasions over the last few days discussing energy imports to India from West Asia.
Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal told reporters that the government continues to be in constant contact with all relevant governments at political and diplomatic levels and trying to ensure Indian vessels can have safe and unhindered transit to maintain the country's energy security.
A majority of the Indian vessels that are waiting to cross the Strait of Hormuz to get to India are oil and gas tankers.
Of the 24 Indian cargo ships were in the Persian Gulf region till Saturday, of which two Indian-flag LPG carriers Shivalik and Nanda Devi carrying about 92,712 MT of LPG crossed the Strait of Hormuz early on Saturday morning and are scheduled to reach Mundra and Kandla ports in Gujarat on March 16 and 17 March respectively.
According to official data, there are six LPG tankers, four crude oil tankers, one LNG carrier, and one chemical or petroleum products tanker among the 22 Indian vessels in the Persian Gulf. The remaining Indian vessels include three container ships, two bulk carriers, one dredger and one empty vessel. Three other vessels are on dry docks for routine maintenance.
