What Happened
- India deployed more than half a dozen Navy warships to escort Indian-flagged vessels through the Gulf of Oman and near the Strait of Hormuz, following the escalation of the US-Iran military conflict in March 2026.
- The warships, positioned east of the Strait of Hormuz, escorted Indian-flagged LPG tankers — including vessels named Shivalik and Nanda Devi — carrying fuel critical to India's energy supply.
- As many as 22 India-flagged vessels were reported stranded in the Persian Gulf, including 6 LPG carriers, 1 LNG carrier, and 4 crude oil tankers.
- The deployment operates under Operation Sankalp, originally launched in June 2019 during a previous bout of tanker attacks in the Gulf of Oman, and reactivated under the current conflict.
- The Indian Navy warships are not entering the narrow Strait of Hormuz directly but escorting vessels through the Gulf of Oman to the east of the strait, within a relatively safer operating zone.
- Prime Minister Modi spoke to Iranian President Pezeshkian on March 12, 2026, emphasizing that "the safety and security of Indian nationals, along with the need for unhindered transit of goods and energy, remain India's top priorities."
- India has also actively engaged in diplomatic channels with all parties to the conflict — US, Israel, and Iran — to facilitate the safe passage of its nationals and vessels.
Static Topic Bridges
Operation Sankalp: India's Maritime Security Mission in the Gulf
Operation Sankalp is an ongoing Indian Navy Maritime Security Operation launched on June 19, 2019, in response to attacks on merchant ships in the Gulf of Oman. The operation's primary mandate is to ensure the safe passage of Indian-flagged merchant vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz, Gulf of Aden, and Gulf of Oman. It reflects India's broader posture of protecting its maritime trade interests and the safety of Indian crews in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR). The operation involves continuous naval presence, maritime domain awareness patrols, and escort missions. Originally deployed with INS Chennai and INS Sunayna, the force has been expanded at various points of heightened tension. Operation Sankalp is coordinated across five Indian ministries: Defence, External Affairs, Shipping, Petroleum and Natural Gas, and the Directorate General of Shipping.
- Launched: June 19, 2019, in response to tanker attacks in the Gulf of Oman
- Command: Indian Navy (Western Naval Command)
- Initial deployment: INS Chennai, INS Sunayna
- Mandate: safe passage of Indian-flagged vessels through Strait of Hormuz, Gulf of Oman, Gulf of Aden
- 2026 deployment: 6-7+ warships positioned east of Strait of Hormuz (non-entry into the strait)
- Coordinated with: Ministry of Defence, MEA, Shipping Ministry, Petroleum Ministry, DG Shipping
- 22 Indian-flagged vessels stranded in Persian Gulf as of March 2026
Connection to this news: The current deployment is a direct reactivation and expansion of Operation Sankalp in response to the 2026 Iran-US conflict. The deployment of 6-7 warships — far more than the initial 2 in 2019 — reflects the scale of disruption and India's heightened stakes in protecting its energy supply chain.
The Strait of Hormuz: India's Critical Maritime Chokepoint
The Strait of Hormuz is a narrow waterway between Iran (to the north) and Oman and the UAE (to the south), connecting the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman and ultimately the Arabian Sea. At its narrowest, it is only about 33 km wide. It is the world's most critical oil chokepoint: approximately 20 million barrels per day — around 20% of global petroleum liquids consumption — passed through it in 2024. India is among the top importers of oil through this route. Historically, India routed about 45-55% of its crude imports via the Strait of Hormuz, though this has declined with diversification. The Petroleum Ministry stated in 2026 that approximately 70% of India's crude imports now come from outside the Strait — still leaving a significant and critical 30% dependent on Hormuz transit.
- Location: between Iran (north) and Oman/UAE (south); connects Persian Gulf to Gulf of Oman
- Width: narrowest point ~33 km; shipping lanes ~3.2 km wide in each direction
- Global oil flow: ~20 million barrels/day in 2024 (~20% of global petroleum liquids)
- LNG flow: ~one-fifth of global LNG trade also passes through
- India's crude via Hormuz: ~30% of India's current crude imports (down from ~45-55% earlier)
- Alternative pipelines: only Saudi Arabia (IPSA) and UAE (Habshan-Fujairah) have bypass pipeline capacity (~3.5-5.5 mb/d combined)
- Iran's blockade tool: Iran has repeatedly threatened to close the strait — doing so would cause a global oil price shock
Connection to this news: The Indian Navy deployment directly addresses the threat to India's Hormuz-dependent energy supply. With 22 Indian vessels stranded and active hostilities ongoing, India's energy security — dependent on Hormuz for approximately 30% of crude imports — is acutely at risk, justifying the significant naval deployment.
India's Maritime Security Doctrine and the Indian Ocean Region
India's maritime strategy, as articulated in its Maritime Security Strategy 2015, defines the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) as India's primary area of strategic interest and responsibility. The strategy identifies protection of India's Sea Lines of Communication (SLOCs), especially energy supply routes, as a core national security objective. India operates the Information Fusion Centre — Indian Ocean Region (IFC-IOR) at Gurugram (est. 2018), which serves as a maritime domain awareness hub for 22+ partner nations. India is also part of the Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) as a cooperative partner and coordinates with US, European, and Gulf navies on counter-piracy and maritime security. The current Gulf deployment reflects India's willingness to act unilaterally when multilateral frameworks are unable to address India-specific threats.
- India's Maritime Security Strategy 2015: defines IOR as primary area of interest; emphasizes SLOC protection
- Information Fusion Centre — IOR (IFC-IOR): established 2018 at Gurugram; 22+ partner nations; maritime domain awareness
- India's naval fleet: 150+ vessels including 2 aircraft carriers (INS Vikramaditya, INS Vikrant)
- Combined Maritime Forces (CMF): US-led coalition; India is a cooperative partner (not full member)
- India's extended neighbourhood: "SAGAR" vision (Security and Growth for All in the Region) — PM Modi's 2015 maritime doctrine
- Counter-piracy operations: India's naval presence in Gulf of Aden has been continuous since 2008 (anti-piracy operations)
Connection to this news: India's deployment of 6-7+ warships for escort duty in the Gulf reflects the practical application of the Maritime Security Strategy's SLOC protection mandate. It also demonstrates India's capacity and willingness to project naval power beyond the IOR into the Persian Gulf — a significant operational capability demonstration.
Key Facts & Data
- Operation Sankalp: launched June 19, 2019; reactivated 2026 for current conflict
- Warships deployed (March 2026): 6-7+ vessels positioned east of Strait of Hormuz
- Vessels escorted: Indian-flagged LPG tankers (Shivalik, Nanda Devi, others)
- Stranded Indian-flagged vessels: 22 in Persian Gulf (6 LPG carriers, 1 LNG carrier, 4 crude tankers, others)
- Strait of Hormuz: ~33 km wide at narrowest; ~20 million barrels/day transited (2024)
- India's crude via Hormuz: ~30% of current imports (Petroleum Ministry, 2026)
- PM Modi-Iran call: March 12, 2026; reiterated safety of nationals + energy transit as top priorities
- India-Iran crude imports: 0.3% of India's total imports in 2025 (down from 6.7% in 2018)
- Chabahar Port: India's $500 million strategic investment in Iran; 10-year contract signed May 2024
- Indians in West Asia: ~9 million; annual remittances ~$40-45 billion
- IFC-IOR: India's maritime domain awareness hub at Gurugram; 22+ partner nations share real-time data