No blanket deal yet for Indian ships in Strait of Hormuz: Jaishankar
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New Delhi: India has not secured a blanket arrangement with Iran for the passage of its ships through the Strait of Hormuz, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar said, noting that permission must be obtained for each individual vessel.
Iran has blocked the strategic waterway, through which a fifth of the world’s oil is transported, in response to US and Israeli attacks on its territory. Speaking to the Financial Times, Jaishankar emphasised that diplomacy remains the most effective way to ensure safe shipping through the strait.
He said that talks with Tehran have allowed two Indian-flagged gas tankers to transit the strait, including the LPG tanker Shivalik, which has successfully crossed and is expected to arrive at Mundra Port in Gujarat today. However, unlike Bangladesh and China, India has not yet secured a comprehensive agreement covering all its flagged vessels.
“There is no ‘blanket arrangement’ with Iran. Every ship movement is an individual happening,” Jaishankar said.
The remarks come as US President Donald Trump has urged countries to deploy warships to reopen the route, warning that he would “not forget” those that decline to help.
While India has expressed concern over Iran’s attacks on Gulf Cooperation Council nations, including the UAE, it has not formally criticised the initial US-Israeli strikes on Iran. Jaishankar has held four rounds of discussions with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi since the conflict began, primarily focusing on securing safe passage for Indian shipping.
On March 12, Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, marking the first high-level contact between India and Iran since the outbreak of the conflict.