2 months ago
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The Indian Navy has deployed warships to escort Indian-flagged merchant vessels transiting done the Persian Gulf region, according to authoritative sources.
Three Indian Navy ships person escorted the Indian-flagged merchant ships Shivalik, Nanda Devi, and Jag Laadki from Gulf of Oman aft they crossed the Strait of Hormuz. The warships ensured the harmless transit of vessels done susceptible waters.
Though the struggle has been aggravated successful the Persian Gulf westbound of the Strait of Hormuz, the Gulf of Oman, eastbound of the strait, has besides seen attacks. Jag Laadki, carrying much than 80,000 tonnes of crude oil, near the Fujairah terminal successful the UAE connected Sunday (March 15, 2026). The vessel had a constrictive flight erstwhile the terminal was attacked portion it was loading.
Sources said that naval vessel escort to Indian merchant ships volition proceed to beryllium provided. Some 22 Indian-flagged ships are inactive stranded westbound of the strait.
While officials declined to disclose the names of the naval ships involved, a elder authoritative confirmed that the warships were operating in the portion nether Operation Sankalp, a ngo aimed astatine safeguarding merchant shipping and protecting India’s maritime interests successful the Gulf region.
Launched successful June 2019, Operation Sankalp ensures the harmless transition of Indian-flagged vessels done captious sea lanes, and saw enactment including during the Houthi attacks.
Meanwhile, LPG bearer Shivalik reached Mundra Port connected Monday (March 16, 2026) evening, the authorities confirmed. Earlier successful the day, Rajesh Kumar Sinha, Special Secretary astatine the Ministry of Shipping, told reporters successful an inter-ministerial briefing that priority berthing and documentation has been arranged to guarantee there is no hold successful discharging the cargo.
Nanda Devi, different LPG carrier, is expected to scope Kandla larboard connected Tuesday (March 17, 2026). Individually, the vessels are holding 46,000 metric tonnes (MT) of cargo, cumulatively, 92,172 MT.
“Seafarers connected board [all the 3 vessels] are each harmless and would reaching tomorrow astatine Mundra port,” Mr. Sinha said.
The Special Secretary besides told reporters that determination is “no congestion reported astatine any of the major ports” with export-bound containers astatine the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority having reduced to astir 3,900 from 5,600.
He besides added that ports are providing harmless anchorage for loaded vessels that are incapable to proceed due to the fact that of the concern successful West Asia.
Addressing reporters astatine the aforesaid briefing, Sujata Sharma, Joint-Secretary astatine the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, said that cooking state continues to beryllium an “issue of concern” though supply of LPG to home consumers continues uninterrupted. No adust retired has been reported among distributors, she added.
Separately, successful effect to a query, the elder authoritative informed that home LPG accumulation had accrued 36% since the proviso attraction order.
Responding to queries about U.S. President Donald Trump seeking countries send warships to defender transition of vessels from the Strait of Hormuz, Randhir Jaiswal, spokesperson astatine the External Affairs Ministry, said the issue has not been taken up successful immoderate bilateral setting. “We are alert of this substance being discussed by respective countries; [however], we person not discussed this successful immoderate bilateral setting,” helium told reporters.
