- By Ajeet Kumar
- Thu, 12 Mar 2026 03:35 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
- Jaishankar discussed shipping safety with Iranian FM.
- Talks focused on India's crucial energy security.
- MEA confirmed three recent diplomatic conversations.
India on Thursday confirmed External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar had conversations with his Iranian counterpart in recent days pertaining to the safety of shipping and India's energy security. However, the concerned ministry has refrained from revealing further details when asked whether the minister was involved in securing a safe passage for India-bound vessels that are either stuck or on the way to India.
"External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar and the Foreign Minister of Iran have had three conversations in recent days. The last one discussed issues pertaining to the safety of shipping and India's energy security. Beyond that, it would be premature for me to say anything,” MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in a daily press briefing on Thursday.
#WATCH | Delhi | MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal says, "External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar and Foreign Minister of Iran have had three conversations in the recent days. The last one discussed issues pertaining to the safety of shipping and India's energy security. Beyond… pic.twitter.com/xkwCJ1nq1U
— ANI (@ANI) March 12, 2026
The briefing was held following a string of attacks on commercial vessels in the crucial waterway of the Strait of Hormuz between Iran and Oman, a key route for global oil trade.
First India-bound vessel Liberia flagged vessel reaches Mumbai via Strait of Hormuz
Earlier today, a Liberia-flagged tanker Shenlong Suezmax carrying Saudi crude has reached Mumbai Port, becoming the first India-bound vessel to pass through the Strait of Hormuz since the Iran-US conflict began.
The tanker had loaded crude from Ras Tanura port in Saudi Arabia on March 1 and departed on March 3. Maritime tracking data showed the vessel in the Strait of Hormuz on March 8 before it temporarily went off tracking systems.
The tanker reportedly switched off its Automatic Identification System (AIS) transponder while navigating the high-risk stretch of the strait and reappeared on tracking systems on March 9. The transponder is a mandatory maritime VHF radio system that automatically broadcasts a ship's identity, position, speed, and course to nearby vessels and shore stations to prevent collisions and improve navigation.
Indian national killed in suicide attack
Earlier today, the Indian Embassy in Iraq confirmed a fatal maritime incident involving an international vessel, stating that "a US-owned crude oil tanker Safesea Vishnu, sailing under the Marshall Islands flag, was attacked near Basra, Iraq, in which one Indian crew member lost his life.
"In a series of posts on X shared on Thursday regarding the incident on March 11, the mission detailed the status of the remaining personnel following the strike. It confirmed that "the remaining 15 Indian crew have since been evacuated to a safe place" as regional waters continue to see heightened volatility.The hostilities are part of a broader surge in regional violence following joint US-Israeli military operations that resulted in the death of Iran's former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei.
In a sharp rebuke, the Ministry of External Affairs stated, "India deplores the fact that commercial shipping is being made a target of military attacks in the ongoing conflict in West Asia." The MEA highlighted that "precious lives, including of Indian citizens, have already been lost" as the "intensity and lethality of the attacks only seems to be increasing."
(With inputs from agency)