New Delhi [India], March 28 (ANI): Two merchant vessels carrying petroleum products for India are crossing the Strait of Hormuz, with Indian Navy warships on standby to provide support, sources told ANI. More vessels are expected to follow soon.
At a joint inter-ministerial briefing, Special Secretary in the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Rajesh Kumar Sinha said authorities are closely monitoring the situation and coordinating with stakeholders. “In the Gulf region, there has been no information in the last 24 hours regarding any incident involving Indian-flagged ships or Indian seafarers. All are safe,” Sinha said, adding that Indian ships operating in the Persian Gulf are also safe.
He noted there are 20 Indian-flagged ships in the Persian Gulf with around 540 Indians onboard. The Directorate General of Shipping’s 24-hour communication centre has been responding to queries; in the last 24 hours it received 98 calls and 335 emails, all of which were responded to, Sinha said.
India reiterated its urgent call for preservation of safe and uninterrupted maritime transit through the Strait of Hormuz and emphasized that international law must be upheld amid the deteriorating security situation in West Asia. The government said it is maintaining vigilant watch over regional volatilities to protect national energy interests.
MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said New Delhi is actively coordinating with global partners to ensure stability and is closely following developments in West Asia, calling for safe and free navigation through the Strait of Hormuz as a priority. He also reported that four Indian-bound vessels carrying liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) successfully navigated the chokepoint. (ANI)
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