Iran Tightens Control Over Strait of Hormuz Amid US-Israeli Strikes; Indian Vessels Continue Transit Despite Maritime Blockade

According to maritime data, 60 per cent of commodity-bearing ships crossing the key shipping lane have either come from Iran or were heading there, underscoring Tehran’s strategic leverage over global trade routes during the ongoing conflict. Despite the blockade, India has emerged as one of the countries with the highest number of ships passing through this route, with at least eight Indian vessels successfully transiting the Hormuz Strait since hostilities began.

Among these were two LPG carriers, BW TYR and BW ELM, which safely navigated the war zone carrying approximately 94,000 tonnes of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cargo. In addition, four Indian-flagged LPG tankers continued operations through the volatile corridor. From March 26 to 28, Pine Gas and Jag Vasant, carrying 92,612 tonnes of LPG, reached India. Earlier, MT Shivalik and MT Nanda Devi, transporting around 92,712 tonnes of LPG, arrived at Mundra Port in Gujarat on March 16 and Kandla Port on March 17, respectively, as reported by PTI.

Further demonstrating sustained maritime movement, Indian-flagged oil tanker Jag Laadki, carrying 80,886 tonnes of crude oil from the UAE, reached Mundra on March 18, while Jag Prakash, transporting gasoline from Oman to Africa, had previously crossed the strait safely. The vessels that successfully transited the Strait of Hormuz include Shivalik, Nanda Devi, Jag Laadki, Pine Gas, Jag Vasant, BW Tyr, BW Elm, and Green Sanvi.

The Green Sanvi most recently passed through the strait on Friday night, carrying approximately 46,650 metric tonnes of LPG cargo. Throughout these operations, Indian Navy warships remained on standby to provide support to merchant vessels navigating the high-risk zone.

Amid the ongoing maritime blockade, the Centre has been engaged in talks with Iranian authorities to facilitate the safe passage of Indian vessels through the Strait of Hormuz. Iran has communicated to member states of the International Maritime Organisation that “non-hostile vessels” may transit the strait, provided they cooperate with Iranian authorities. Tehran clarified in its letter that vessels linked to the US and Israel, along with “other participants in the aggression,” do not qualify for innocent or non-hostile passage.

Escalating concerns further, a senior Iranian legislator indicated that Tehran could intensify pressure on its adversaries by targeting the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, another critical global maritime chokepoint. Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf raised the stakes in a series of questions posted o

n the social media platform X, highlighting vulnerabilities in global supply chains. He questioned the extent of reliance on the passage, asking what share of global oil, LNG, wheat, rice, and fertiliser shipments transits the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, and which countries and companies account for the highest transit volumes.

The developments signal a deepening geopolitical crisis with far-reaching implications for global energy security, trade flows, and maritime stability, as strategic waterways increasingly become focal points of international confrontation.