What Happened
- India is in active diplomatic negotiations with Iran to secure safe passage for more than 20 oil tankers stranded near the Strait of Hormuz, carrying crude oil, LPG, and LNG bound for Indian ports
- External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar has spoken to Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi three times since the conflict began, explicitly raising the issue of commercial shipping safety and energy supply continuity
- The Ministry of External Affairs confirmed India is "engaging Iran for safe passage of Indian ships through the Strait of Hormuz"
- Iran's partial blockade of the Strait of Hormuz — enforced by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) — has halted most commercial shipping through the critical waterway
- India has simultaneously been diversifying its energy supply, with approximately 75% of crude imports now routed outside the Strait of Hormuz through the Red Sea, Cape of Good Hope routes, and increased Russian imports under a US sanctions waiver
Static Topic Bridges
India's Crude Oil Import Diversification Strategy
India has historically been heavily dependent on West Asian crude, but has steadily diversified its import basket since the 2019 Iran sanctions severely disrupted Iranian crude purchases. The Russia-Ukraine war (2022) created an opportunity for India to sharply increase discounted Russian crude imports, which by 2024-25 accounted for approximately 40% of India's total crude imports. In response to the current Hormuz crisis, India has further diversified, with about 75% of crude now arriving via non-Hormuz routes — including direct deliveries from West Africa, the Americas, and Russian Far East ports.
- India's total crude imports (FY2024-25): approximately 232 million metric tonnes
- Russian crude share (FY2024-25): approximately 40%
- Iraq crude share: approximately 23%
- Saudi Arabian crude: approximately 17%
- Non-Hormuz routes now: ~75% of India's crude (during current crisis)
- India's strategic petroleum reserve: 5.33 million metric tonnes (3 underground facilities at Vishakhapatnam, Mangaluru, Padur)
Connection to this news: The 20+ tankers seeking safe passage represent the remaining 25% of India's imports that must transit Hormuz — primarily LPG and LNG, for which non-Hormuz substitutes are harder to quickly arrange.
India's Strategic Petroleum Reserves (SPR) and Energy Security Architecture
India established a Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) programme under the Indian Strategic Petroleum Reserves Limited (ISPRL), a special purpose vehicle under the Ministry of Petroleum. India has three underground rock cavern facilities with a combined capacity of 5.33 million metric tonnes (approximately 37 million barrels). This buffer provides roughly 9-10 days of import cover. India has also been discussing expanding its SPR capacity, including a proposed public-private partnership model to store oil for commercial purposes.
- ISPRL established: 2004
- SPR locations: Visakhapatnam (1.33 MMT), Mangaluru (1.5 MMT), Padur (2.5 MMT)
- Total capacity: 5.33 million metric tonnes (~37 million barrels)
- Import cover: approximately 9-10 days
- IEA recommended reserve: 90 days for member countries (India is not IEA member)
- India became IEA "Association Country" in 2017; aspires to full membership
Connection to this news: India's limited SPR capacity — providing only 9-10 days of cover compared to the IEA-recommended 90 days — explains the urgency of securing Hormuz passage: a prolonged blockade would rapidly exhaust buffer stocks, especially for LPG which affects household cooking gas supplies.
Iran's IRGC Maritime Operations
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) is Iran's elite military-ideological force, distinct from the regular Iranian armed forces (Artesh). The IRGC Naval Force controls the Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz on the Iranian side. Under the current conflict, the IRGC has imposed a de facto blockade — requiring all commercial vessels to obtain Iranian approval before transiting, and having attacked approximately 14 oil tankers (including two US-flagged vessels) since hostilities began. The IRGC was designated as a Foreign Terrorist Organisation (FTO) by the US in 2019.
- IRGC founded: 1979 after the Islamic Revolution
- IRGC structure: Ground forces, Navy, Aerospace, Quds Force (foreign operations), Basij (domestic militia)
- IRGC Naval Force Commander: Rear Admiral Alireza Tangsiri (as of 2026)
- IRGC designated FTO by USA: April 2019 (first time a state military force was so designated)
- Tankers attacked since conflict began: approximately 14 (including 2 US-flagged)
- IRGC approval requirement: All ships must notify and receive approval to transit Hormuz
Connection to this news: India securing passage through diplomatic channels with Iran's Foreign Ministry is in effect seeking to override the IRGC's blockade — a delicate diplomacy requiring Tehran's civilian leadership to rein in its own military forces.
Key Facts & Data
- Indian tankers seeking safe passage: over 20 (out of 28 stranded in region)
- Jaishankar-Araghchi calls: 3 times by March 12, 2026
- India's crude now via non-Hormuz routes: approximately 75%
- India's SPR capacity: 5.33 million metric tonnes (~37 million barrels, ~9-10 days cover)
- SPR locations: Visakhapatnam, Mangaluru, Padur
- IRGC tankers attacked: approximately 14 since conflict began
- India's LPG through Hormuz: approximately 55% of total
- India's Russian crude share (FY2024-25): approximately 40%
- India's total crude imports: approximately 232 MMT per year