Pair of oil vessels headed for India successfully navigate Hormuz Strait

Israeli army tanks have been deployed along the border wall in the upper Galilee, near the Israel-Lebanon border, as of March 14, 2026, as tensions in the region continue to escalate, with a photo captured by Jalaa MAREY / AFP showcasing the military buildup.

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Meanwhile, in a rare instance of safe passage, two Indian-flagged tankers, carrying liquefied petroleum gas, have successfully navigated the Strait of Hormuz, according to India's shipping ministry, which announced the news on Saturday.

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The Strait of Hormuz, a critical naval chokepoint, has seen a significant disruption in maritime traffic due to the ongoing Mideast war, with Tehran virtually halting all traffic, affecting the passage of around a fifth of global crude oil and liquefied natural gas.

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Rajesh Kumar Sinha, India's special secretary of the ministry of ports, shipping and waterways, confirmed to reporters in New Delhi on Saturday that the two tankers, "Shivalik" and "Nanda Devi", crossed the Strait of Hormuz safely and are en route to India, carrying approximately 92,700 metric tonnes of LPG.

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The tankers are expected to arrive in India within the next couple of days and will be headed to the western ports of Mundra and Kandla, providing a much-needed supply of LPG to the country, which is the world's fourth largest buyer of liquefied natural gas and second-largest buyer of LPG.

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India's reliance on imported LPG, predominantly sourced from the Middle East, has been affected by the ongoing conflict, prompting the government to impose tighter controls on natural and cooking gas, with the Ministry of Petroleum announcing new rules to ensure equitable distribution and continued availability for priority sectors.

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The new rules, which were introduced on Tuesday, prioritize LNG supplies to households, transport sectors, and the production of LPG, in an effort to mitigate the impact of dwindling supplies on the general population and essential services.

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However, the restrictions have already started to affect various industries, including ceramics and tile firms, which have reported a cutback in gas supplies, potentially impacting their production capabilities, while restaurants and hotels across India have also warned of disruptions to their operations.

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The safe passage of the two Indian tankers follows recent talks between New Delhi and Tehran, with Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar confirming on X that he had engaged in discussions with his Iranian counterpart, Abbas Araghchi, and agreed to remain in touch regarding the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

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Jaishankar also mentioned that the pair discussed "bilateral matters" and "BRICS related issues" in a later post, highlighting the ongoing diplomatic efforts to address the situation, while Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Thursday to discuss the transit of goods and energy from the Gulf.

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India has also provided assistance to Iranian sailors, with 183 sailors from the Iranian vessel IRIS Lavan being given safe harbour in the southern port of Kochi after the war broke out, and the non-essential crew of the vessel boarding a chartered flight in Kochi on Friday.

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The Iranian-chartered flight, which was carrying the remains of 84 sailors from the Iranian frigate IRIS Dena, arrived in Armenia early Saturday local time, as tracked by the flight-tracking app FlightRadar24, marking a somber reminder of the human cost of the conflict.