India is opposed to any proposal to charge tolls on cargo ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz, government sources said.
The issue has emerged after a two-week ceasefire agreement between the United States and Iran guaranteed maritime traffic through the strategic waterway, which carries about one-fifth of global oil and gas supplies.
According to a regional official cited by AFP, the agreement would allow Iran and Oman to charge fees on ships using the strait. The official said Iran planned to use the money for reconstruction.
India has not held any talks with Iran on the proposal, sources said.
Iran’s control over the Strait of Hormuz since the conflict began on February 28 has been seen as a major strategic advantage. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said passage through the strait would continue under Iranian military management.
The proposal would break with decades of practice under which the Strait of Hormuz has been treated as an international waterway open to all shipping without charge.
The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea bars interference with ships transiting through waterways such as the Strait of Hormuz, including the imposition of tolls.
Government sources said any move to allow Iran to charge fees would require changes to the existing UN framework.
Shipping journal Lloyd's List reported that some shipowners and charterers are preparing to move vessels stranded in the Gulf. It is estimated that about 800 ships remain stuck in the region.
Data from Kpler showed that commodity carriers made 307 crossings between March 1 and April 7, a 95 per cent drop from normal traffic levels.