India Reaches Out To Tehran To Bring Back 16 Stranded Oil Tankers As US-Iran Ceasefire Takes Effect

India on Wednesday reached out to Iran following the announcement of a ceasefire between Tehran and Washington to facilitate the immediate repatriation of its oil and gas vessels currently stranded west of the Strait of Hormuz.

Welcoming the ceasefire, New Delhi expressed hope that it would lead to the establishment of lasting peace in West Asia.

The Ministry of External Affairs issued an official statement, saying, "We welcome the ceasefire reached and hope that it will lead to lasting peace in West Asia. As we have consistently advocated earlier, de-escalation, dialogue and diplomacy are essential to bring an early end to the ongoing conflict."

India further noted that the conflict has already inflicted immense suffering upon people and has disrupted global energy supplies and trade networks.

"The conflict has already caused immense suffering to people and disrupted global energy supply and trade networks. We expect that unimpeded freedom of navigation and global flow of commerce would prevail through the Strait of Hormuz," MEA stated.

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According to government sources, concerns regarding India's energy security, which had been mounting since the day the war started, are now expected to subside following the announcement of the ceasefire.

16 Indian vessels stranded 

Currently, 16 Indian vessels remain stranded in the western sector of the Strait of Hormuz. The majority of these are oil and gas tankers. These vessels collectively carry over 2,00,000 tons of LPG, a commodity which India needs on an urgent basis.

The Central government is in constant contact with Iran to facilitate the immediate release of these vessels.

It is worth noting that India imports approximately 85 per cent of its total crude oil requirements, with West Asia accounting for nearly 60 per cent of these imports.

Any instability in the Strait of Hormuz poses a grave threat to both India's energy supply and its economy. Despite the government's extensive efforts since the onset of the West Asian crisis, gas supplies to the industrial sector have been disrupted, and LPG supplies have also been adversely affected.

India's Foreign Secretary to meet US officials today

Later today, India's Foreign Secretary, Vikram Misri, is scheduled to meet with senior officials of the Trump administration in Washington as he is on a visit to the US from April 8 to 11.

The meeting is expected to feature a detailed discussion on the situation in West Asia. Additionally, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will visit the United Arab Emirates (UAE) this weekend.

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Sources indicate that Jaishankar's visit is part of India's broader strategy to maintain continuous engagement with West Asian nations and ensure regional stability. The MEA has consistently emphasised that regional peace, stability, and energy security have always been priorities for India.

Following the ceasefire, expectations are now high for the normalisation of merchant shipping traffic and the restoration of stability in the global energy market, developments that will provide relief to energy-importing nations like India.