The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) confirmed on Thursday that 14 Indian vessels have successfully navigated through the volatile Strait of Hormuz and are now in safe waters. However, concerns remain as 14 other Indian ships are still positioned within the Persian Gulf amidst escalating regional tensions. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal shared these details during a media briefing in New Delhi, highlighting the government’s continuous monitoring of the maritime situation in West Asia.
The security situation intensified following an attack by Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) on the Liberia-flagged vessel ‘Epaminondas,’ which was en route to Mundra Port in Gujarat. Despite a ceasefire announcement just hours prior, Iranian forces seized the tanker along with another ship. This follows a previous incident last Saturday where two authorized Indian vessels were fired upon, causing significant alarm regarding the safety of commercial shipping lanes that handle a fifth of the world’s oil trade.
In response to these provocations, India has lodged a formal and stern protest with Tehran. Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri summoned the Iranian Ambassador to India, Mohammad Fatali, to express deep concern over the IRGC’s actions. While acknowledging Iran’s past cooperation in providing safe passage for Indian cargo, the MEA emphasized that the safety of merchant vessels is a top priority and urged the Iranian government to ensure such incidents are not repeated to maintain smooth maritime commerce.
