What Happened
- The Strait of Hormuz has been effectively disrupted since late February 2026 following military strikes on Iran, creating the most significant oil supply shock in decades
- Iran has permitted selective transit for vessels linked to China, Russia, India, Iraq, and Pakistan while restricting others, fundamentally altering global shipping patterns
- India's imports of Russian crude oil surged by approximately 90% in March 2026 compared to February, as refiners scrambled to secure alternative supplies
- India purchased about 60 million barrels of Russian oil for delivery amid the disruption, leveraging a US waiver on purchases of Russian crude already loaded on tankers
- The Indian Navy deployed warships under Operation Sankalp to escort Indian-flagged LPG carriers through the Gulf of Oman
Static Topic Bridges
Strait of Hormuz -- Strategic Maritime Chokepoint
The Strait of Hormuz is a narrow waterway between Iran and Oman connecting the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea. It is the world's most important oil transit chokepoint, with approximately 20 million barrels per day of crude oil and petroleum products flowing through it in 2025, representing roughly 25% of all global seaborne oil trade and about one-fifth of total world oil consumption.
- Width at narrowest point: approximately 34 km (21 miles), with two 2-mile-wide shipping lanes designated by the International Maritime Organization
- Major Gulf exporters dependent on this route: Saudi Arabia (37.2% of transit volume), Iraq (22.8%), UAE (12.9%), Iran (10.6%), Kuwait (10.1%)
- Also carries approximately one-fifth of global LNG trade
- India's vulnerability: about 30% of India's crude imports historically transited the Strait, though diversification has reduced this to some extent
- Alternative pipeline routes exist (Saudi Arabia's East-West Pipeline, UAE's Habshan-Fujairah Pipeline) but have limited spare capacity
Connection to this news: The current disruption demonstrates why the Strait of Hormuz is considered the world's most critical energy chokepoint, and why India's energy security strategy requires diversified supply sources and routes.
India's Crude Oil Import Dependency and Source Diversification
India is the world's third-largest oil consumer and importer, with crude oil import dependency reaching approximately 88-89% of consumption -- a record high. India now sources crude from about 40 countries, up from 27 in 2006-07, reflecting a deliberate diversification strategy. Russia has emerged as India's largest crude supplier since 2022, when discounted Russian oil became available following Western sanctions.
- Russia: approximately 35-40% of India's crude imports (2025-26), up from less than 2% before 2022
- Iraq: approximately 20-23% of imports -- India's second-largest supplier
- Saudi Arabia: approximately 13-18% of imports
- Non-Hormuz routes now account for roughly 70% of India's crude imports, a significant strategic buffer
- India's crude oil import bill (FY2024-25): approximately $160-170 billion
- Strategic Petroleum Reserves (SPR): India maintains emergency reserves at three locations -- Visakhapatnam (1.33 MMT), Mangalore (1.5 MMT), and Padur (2.5 MMT) -- totalling 5.33 million metric tonnes (approximately 9.5 days of consumption)
Connection to this news: India's pivot to Russian crude, which does not transit the Strait of Hormuz (shipped from Baltic and Arctic ports), has inadvertently provided a strategic hedge against the current disruption.
Operation Sankalp -- Indian Navy's Maritime Security Initiative
Operation Sankalp (Sanskrit for "Commitment") is the Indian Navy's proactive maritime security operation launched on June 19, 2019 to ensure the safe passage of Indian-flagged commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz, Gulf of Oman, and Gulf of Aden. It was reactivated in 2026 amid the current crisis.
- Launched in 2019 during tensions between Iran and the US over the JCPOA withdrawal
- Coordinated across Ministries of Defence, External Affairs, Shipping, Petroleum and Natural Gas, and the Directorate General of Shipping
- Maintains continuous deployment of frigates and destroyers in the Gulf of Aden and Gulf of Oman
- By end of 2023, 41 warships deployed, escorting 503 Indian-flagged merchant vessels carrying approximately 624 lakh tonnes of cargo
- In March 2026: 5 Indian-flagged LPG carriers evacuated from the Strait of Hormuz on three occasions, escorted by Indian Navy warships through the Gulf of Oman
Connection to this news: Operation Sankalp demonstrates India's growing blue-water naval capability and its willingness to project maritime power to protect energy supply lines -- a critical dimension of energy security.
Key Facts & Data
- Strait of Hormuz: 34 km wide at narrowest point; approximately 20 million barrels per day of oil transited (2025)
- India's crude import dependency: approximately 88-89% (record high)
- India's Russian crude surge: approximately 90% increase in March 2026 vs February; 60 million barrels purchased for delivery
- India's SPR capacity: 5.33 million metric tonnes across 3 sites (Visakhapatnam, Mangalore, Padur)
- India now sources crude from approximately 40 countries (up from 27 in 2006-07)
- Iran's selective transit policy: allowed ships of China, Russia, India, Iraq, and Pakistan
- Operation Sankalp launched: June 19, 2019; reactivated in February-March 2026