New Delhi, May 7 — The Ministry of External Affairs has reported that 11 Indian vessels have successfully transited the Strait of Hormuz and departed the Persian Gulf, while 13 Indian ships remain in the Gulf, the ministry’s spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said on Thursday.
Responding to questions about reports that Iranian vessels might be using Pakistani and Indian territorial waters to avoid a US blockade, Jaiswal clarified that ships in international waters do not require India’s permission. He added that entry into Indian territorial waters is a technical matter handled by the Ministry of Shipping or other relevant technical authorities.
Jaiswal said sustained diplomatic engagement with Iran has yielded progress and that Indian officials continue to liaise with Iranian authorities to facilitate safe passage for the remaining vessels so they can reach Indian ports.
Separately, Opesh Kumar Sharma, Director of Shipping at the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, told an inter-ministerial briefing on West Asia that all Indian seafarers are safe and no incidents involving Indian-flagged ships have been reported in the past 48 hours. Sharma said the ministry has helped repatriate more than 2,999 seafarers from the Gulf, including 23 in the last 48 hours, and continues to coordinate with the MEA, Indian missions and maritime stakeholders to ensure seafarer welfare and uninterrupted maritime operations.
