11 India-bound ships transit Strait of Hormuz after US-Iran MoU; 10 vessels remain in Gulf: MEA
New Delhi, June 23
India on Tuesday stated that 11 India-bound ships have transited the Strait of Hormuz following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between Iran and the United States to halt hostilities, while 10 India-flagged vessels are still in the Persian Gulf region.
The operational assessment was provided by Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) during a regular press briefing.
"We have ten Indian-flagged vessels still in the Persian Gulf region. In addition, we have two Indian ships which have crossed from this side into the Persian Gulf. Since the signing of the MoU, eleven India-bound vessels have crossed the Strait of Hormuz," MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated.
The diplomatic update from the MEA comes amid prolonged instability surrounding the highly critical maritime chokepoint, which serves as a primary transit corridor for international hydrocarbon and liquefied gas shipments.
While the Strait of Hormuz had been cleared for traffic last week under the preliminary Washington-Tehran MoU, Iranian authorities on Saturday proclaimed a renewed closure of the waterway following military strikes by Israel inside Lebanon.
Concurrently, commercial shipping traffic through the crucial passage has reportedly accelerated in the wake of recent developments.
Independent maritime tracking agencies have registered heightened commercial shipping traffic in the last few days, signalling a noticeable recovery in transport volumes after severe bottlenecks triggered by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz since the US-Israel attack on Iran on February 28.
According to figures published by commodity analytics firm Kpler, no fewer than 36 resource carriers sailed through the Strait of Hormuz on Monday, representing one of the densest operational windows observed since the conflict erupted in February.
The Iran-US MoU, formalised last week, initiated a 60-day diplomatic window to iron out long-standing strategic issues after months of direct military confrontations that heavily destabilised West Asian energy corridors and upended international financial markets.
— ANI
Reader Comments
36 resource carriers in one day is a lot! It's a relief that the MoU is having some effect, but with Iran already threatening to close it again, this feels fragile. India needs to push for a more permanent solution – our energy security can't depend on a 60-day window.
This is a huge relief for our economy – the Strait of Hormuz carries so much of our oil and gas. But I'm respectfully critical: why is India not taking a more proactive role in mediating here? We have good relations with both Iran and the US. We should be at the table, not just reacting to updates.
"10 India-flagged vessels still in the Gulf" – that's a lot of ships and crew at risk. The on-again, off-again closure by Iran is not helping. For the sake of global trade and Indian jobs, I hope the 60-day window actually leads to real talks instead of just another temporary fix.
Interesting numbers – 11 out in one batch is decent, but the fact that 10 are still stuck is worrying. Also, why are we not hearing about the Indian crew on those ships? Family members must be anxious. Hope the MEA is also ensuring their safety and mental well-being, not just counting vessels.
This MoU is a good start, but let's be real – the region is a powder keg. Israel strikes Lebanon, Iran threatens closure... India should have a contingency plan ready. Maybe diversify our oil imports or build up strategic reserves. Can't keep betting on diplomatic Band-Aids. 🤷♂️
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.