An Indian LPG carrier, Shivalik, carrying about 40,000 metric tonnes of liquefied petroleum gas, reached Mundra Port in Gujarat on Monday evening after safely transiting the Strait of Hormuz amid ongoing tensions in West Asia. The vessel exited the crucial waterway late Sunday night or early Monday morning before arriving at the port.
Earlier in the day, speaking at an Inter-Ministerial briefing on Recent Developments in West Asia in New Delhi, Special Secretary at the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Rajesh Kumar Sinha, said arrangements had been made to ensure smooth unloading of the cargo.
Another Vessel Arriving Soon
Sinha said that documentation and priority berthing had been organised at Mundra Port so that there would be no delay in the discharge of cargo from the Shivalik. He also noted that another Indian vessel carrying LPG, Nanda Devi, is expected to reach India on Tuesday.
The official added that the Indian-flagged vessel Jag Laadki, which sailed from the UAE carrying about 81,000 tonnes of Murban crude oil, is also safely on its way to India.
Indian Seafarers Safe
Sinha further confirmed that all Indian seafarers in the Persian Gulf region are safe, adding that no incidents involving them have been reported in the last 24 hours. At present, 22 Indian-flagged vessels remain in the Persian Gulf, carrying a total of 611 seafarers.
Meanwhile, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar emphasised the importance of direct engagement with Iran to ensure maritime traffic continues through the Strait of Hormuz, a route that handles nearly 20 per cent of global oil trade. In an interview with the Financial Times UK, Jaishankar said India is actively engaging Tehran to help reopen the vital waterway.
India Engaging Iran Over Strait Of Hormuz
He said the discussions were “already yielding some results,” adding that New Delhi believes it is more effective to “reason and coordinate” with Tehran rather than disengage. “Certainly, from India’s perspective, it is better that we reason and we coordinate and we get a solution than we don’t. While this is a welcome development, there is continuing conversation because there is continued work on that,” Jaishankar said.
The minister pointed to the successful transit of the Shivalik and Nanda Devi tankers as a practical outcome of these diplomatic efforts. Together, the two vessels are carrying about 92,712 metric tonnes of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). However, Jaishankar clarified that there is no formal “blanket arrangement” yet for all Indian-flagged vessels, and ship movements are currently being managed on a “case-by-case basis.”
Iranian officials have also commented on the situation around the strategic waterway. Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the Strait of Hormuz “is open, but closed to our enemies, to those who carried out this cowardly aggression against us and to their allies.”
Conflict In West Asia Continues
Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said that ships would be allowed to pass through the strait under special conditions because of what he described as insecurity created by the US and Israel in the region.
Baghaei added that Iran’s armed forces control the passage and that no country can use the waterway to launch attacks on Iran. He also said that as a coastal nation, Iran has the right to take necessary measures in the strait to ensure its national security and prevent aggressors from misusing the route.
He said Iran has historically acted as the guardian of safe passage through the strait but blamed the US and Israel for creating the current tensions.
The developments come as the West Asia conflict enters its third week, with US and Israeli forces continuing strikes on Iran while Iranian counterattacks persist. Several Israeli cities have reported damage amid the ongoing escalation.
(With inputs from ANI)
Khalid Qasid is a media enthusiast with a strong interest in documentary filmmaking. He holds a Master’s degree in Convergent Journalism from AJK MCRC. He has also written extensively on esports at Sportsdunia. Currently, he covers world and general news at NewsX Digital.
