Amid ongoing tensions affecting maritime movement in West Asia, Iran has reportedly asked India to exchange three tankers seized earlier by Indian authorities in return for permitting the safe passage of Indian-flagged or India-bound vessels through the strategically important Strait of Hormuz, according to a report by Reuters.
India had previously seized the tankers Asphalt Star, Al Jafzia, and Stellar Ruby, alleging that the vessels concealed or altered their identities and were involved in illegal ship-to-ship transfers at sea. Of the three vessels, Stellar Ruby is Iranian-flagged, while Asphalt Star and Al Jafzia are reportedly flagged to Nicaragua and Mali respectively.
According to sources cited in the report, Iran has also requested supplies of certain medicines and medical equipment. An Iranian official indicated that the issue was discussed during a meeting between Iran’s ambassador to New Delhi and officials from India’s Ministry of External Affairs on Monday.
Meanwhile, maritime operations involving Indian vessels continue under close monitoring. The Indian LPG carrier Shivalik, carrying about 40,000 metric tonnes of liquefied petroleum gas, arrived safely at Mundra Port on Monday evening after transiting the Strait of Hormuz late Sunday night.
Speaking during an inter-ministerial briefing in New Delhi on recent developments in West Asia, Rajesh Kumar Sinha, Special Secretary at the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, said that priority berthing and documentation arrangements had been made at the port to ensure there is no delay in discharging the LPG cargo.
Another Indian-flagged vessel, Jag Laadki, which departed from the UAE carrying around 81,000 tonnes of Murban crude oil, is also reported to be safely en route to India.
The Shipping Ministry stated that all Indian seafarers in the Persian Gulf region remain safe, with no incidents reported in the past 24 hours. At present, 22 Indian-flagged vessels remain in the region, carrying a total of 611 seafarers.
Earlier, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar emphasized the importance of direct dialogue with Tehran to ensure the resumption of maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a route that handles nearly 20% of global oil trade.
In an interview, Jaishankar said India is actively engaging with Iran to facilitate the reopening of the vital waterway. He noted that the discussions are already showing positive results, adding that India believes it is more effective to “reason and coordinate” with Tehran rather than disengage.
However, he clarified that a formal blanket arrangement for all Indian-flagged ships has not yet been established, and vessel movements through the Strait are currently being managed on a case-by-case basis.
