What Happened
- India's Ministry of External Affairs sought safe passage for 22 Indian-flagged vessels stranded west of the Strait of Hormuz after Iran's blockade restricted commercial shipping through the strait from early March 2026.
- A total of 28 India-flagged vessels were reported stuck — 24 to the west and four to the east of the Strait. The stranded fleet included four crude oil tankers, six LPG carriers, and one LNG vessel.
- Iran allowed two Indian-flagged vessels — the Shivalik and Nanda Devi, both chartered by Indian Oil Corporation — to pass through the strait as a limited exception. Both were LPG tankers expected to dock at Mundra and Kandla ports on March 16–17.
- Iran's ambassador to India stated his country would "try its best" to resolve the issue of stranded Indian vessels, signalling diplomatic engagement at the bilateral level.
- The disruption stems from the Iran-Israel-US conflict that began on February 28, 2026, after which Iran's IRGC issued warnings prohibiting general vessel passage through the strait.
Static Topic Bridges
Strait of Hormuz — The World's Most Critical Maritime Chokepoint
The Strait of Hormuz is a narrow waterway connecting the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea. It is approximately 167 km long with a navigable width as narrow as 21 nautical miles. Around 20 million barrels of crude oil and approximately one-fifth of the world's LNG flow through this strait daily, making it the single most strategically significant maritime chokepoint on earth.
- Located between Iran (north) and Oman (south); both are coastal states
- The strait is divided into shipping lanes: two 3.2 km inbound and two 3.2 km outbound lanes separated by a 3.2 km median zone
- Iran controls the northern coastline; any blockade threat is backed by IRGC naval assets and anti-ship missile batteries
Connection to this news: With Iran restricting passage, vessels carrying India's critical energy imports — LPG, LNG, and crude — were effectively trapped, directly exposing India's dependence on this single choke point.
Transit Passage Rights Under International Law (UNCLOS Article 38)
Under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), Article 38 provides for "transit passage" rights through international straits used for international navigation. Article 44 explicitly states that coastal states "shall not hamper transit passage." This right cannot be suspended even in cases of national security, under UNCLOS.
- Transit passage applies to straits connecting one part of the high seas to another — the Strait of Hormuz qualifies
- Unlike innocent passage (which can be suspended), transit passage is non-suspendable
- Iran has signed but not ratified UNCLOS, though the transit passage regime is widely regarded as binding customary international law
- The US also has not ratified UNCLOS, yet invokes it to justify freedom of navigation operations
Connection to this news: Iran's blockade of commercial shipping raises questions about violations of transit passage rights under customary international law, giving India and other affected states a legal basis to demand free passage.
India's Energy Import Geography and the LPG Vulnerability
India imports approximately 88% of its crude oil requirements, and roughly 80% of its LPG imports originate from Gulf nations including Qatar, UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait. Most of these are shipped via the Strait of Hormuz. India's LPG import dependence makes it acutely vulnerable to Hormuz disruptions — the country has over 33 crore households connected to piped/cylinder LPG under PM Ujjwala Yojana and allied schemes.
- India imports approximately 60% of its LPG from Gulf countries, worth around $13.9 billion annually
- Domestic LPG production was ramped up by 28% following the conflict; kerosene was reintroduced as a backup cooking fuel
- Indian Oil Corporation chartered the Shivalik and Nanda Devi specifically to transport LPG from Gulf terminals
- Indian refiners maintained approximately 64.5 days of crude storage as of mid-March 2026
Connection to this news: The stranded vessels — predominantly LPG and LNG carriers — illustrate precisely how India's household energy security is structurally linked to uninterrupted passage through the Strait of Hormuz.
India's Diplomatic Engagement with Iran — Bilateral Relations Context
India and Iran share a historically significant relationship underpinned by strategic, energy, and civilisational ties. India developed the Chabahar Port in Iran as an alternative access route to Afghanistan and Central Asia, bypassing Pakistan. Despite US sanctions on Iran, India has periodically maintained energy trade with Tehran under diplomatic waivers.
- India and Iran signed a 10-year contract for development of Chabahar Port (Shahid Beheshti terminal)
- India had received US sanctions waivers for Chabahar port operations
- Iran remained India's third-largest crude oil supplier before 2019 sanctions tightened
- India's traditional policy on Iran has been one of dialogue and engagement rather than confrontation
Connection to this news: India's ability to secure limited passage rights for its vessels — while many other countries could not — reflects the residual diplomatic capital India holds with Tehran, enabling case-by-case humanitarian and economic exemptions.
Key Facts & Data
- 28 Indian-flagged vessels stranded near the Strait of Hormuz as of March 14, 2026 (24 west, 4 east)
- Vessel types stuck: 4 crude oil tankers, 6 LPG carriers, 1 LNG carrier
- Two vessels — Shivalik and Nanda Devi (Indian Oil Corp) — allowed passage as an exception
- Strait of Hormuz carries ~20 million barrels of crude oil per day and ~20% of global LNG trade
- India imports ~88% of its crude oil and ~60–80% of its LPG from Gulf region
- India's strategic petroleum reserves can sustain ~74 days of supply (64.5 days crude + refined products buffer)
- Iran's blockade followed US-Israel military strikes on Iran beginning February 28, 2026