India-Bound LPG Tanker Crosses Strait of Hormuz Amid War-Driven Supply Crisis

This is the seventh India-flagged tanker to cross the strait after the Iran war brought traffic through the waterway almost to a close. The Mitsui-owned ship carrying 46,000 metric tonnes of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) is scheduled to dock in Mumbai, offering a significant but limited relief to strained domestic supplies.

The war has severely disrupted global energy supplies, including India's, a country that is primarily dependent on LPG for its cooking needs. India is also the world's second-largest LPG importer, making the situation increasingly precarious amid continued instability in the region.

The government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi had to enforce emergency directives to manage the impending fuel crisis while also engaging with Tehran to negotiate safe passage for Indian-flagged ships through the strategically sensitive corridor.

On Friday, a US-sanctioned tanker carrying Iranian crude rerouted mid-voyage from India to China. Experts said the vessel, Ping Shun, changed course from Gujarat's Vadinar to Dongying, possibly due to payment-related concerns, highlighting the financial and geopolitical complexities affecting maritime trade.

Hello! This is Shakeel from DW's New Delhi studio, welcoming you to our weekend coverage. Did you feel the nip in the air in New Delhi this morning? As we reported yesterday, it's due to western disturbances currently affecting the region. Today, we are tracking an LPG tanker making its way to Mumbai after crossing the Strait of Hormuz.

Meanwhile, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor's convoy was stopped, and his security personnel were assaulted while he was travelling to an election rally in Kerala. Also, parts of India felt tremors from the 5.9-magnitude earthquake that struck Afghanistan. Stay tuned as we bring you the latest updates from across India.

The successful transit of Green Sanvi underscores the fragile continuity of critical energy supply lines as geopolitical tensions persist, with India navigating both logistical and diplomatic challenges to secure essential fuel imports.