India Champions Direct Dialogue with Iran to Secure Strait of Hormuz Shipping

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar has advocated for direct, sustained diplomatic engagement with Tehran as the most effective strategy to ensure the continued flow of maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz. 

As global tensions in the Middle East persist, India is prioritizing this bilateral approach to safeguard its energy security, given that the vital waterway facilitates approximately 20 percent of global oil trade.

In an interview with the Financial Times (UK), Jaishankar confirmed that New Delhi is actively coordinating with Iran to maintain passage for essential shipments. 

"Certainly, from India's perspective, it is better that we reason and we coordinate and we get a solution than we don't," the Minister remarked, noting that these ongoing discussions are already producing tangible results.

The diplomatic strategy has already seen practical success with the recent transit of two Indian-flagged vessels, Shivalik and Nanda Devi. 

The tankers, collectively transporting over 92,000 metric tonnes of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), are currently proceeding toward the Indian ports of Mundra and Kandla. 

However, the Minister clarified that a formal "blanket arrangement" for all Indian-flagged ships remains elusive, with transit logistics currently managed on a "case-by-case basis."

India’s strategy of engagement stands in contrast to the calls for broader international naval intervention. 

These developments follow recent rhetoric from US President Donald Trump, who has suggested further strikes on Iran’s Kharg Island and urged international allies—including China, France, Japan, South Korea, and Britain—to deploy naval assets to secure the route.

While Jaishankar indicated that India remains open to sharing its diplomatic experiences, he acknowledged that each nation’s approach is defined by its unique "circumstances." 

The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas also confirmed that another Indian-flagged tanker, Jag Laadki, successfully departed from Fujairah on Sunday. 

Carrying over 80,000 metric tonnes of Murban crude, the vessel was loading at a facility when the terminal was targeted in a recent attack, underscoring the volatility of the region and the critical nature of India’s ongoing dialogue with Tehran.

Source: ANI