What Happened
- Two Indian-flagged LPG carriers, MV Shivalik and MV Nanda Devi, successfully crossed the Strait of Hormuz on March 14, 2026, carrying a combined approximately 92,700 metric tonnes of LPG.
- The vessels were destined for Mundra and Kandla ports in Gujarat, with expected arrival by March 16–17.
- Iran had largely halted commercial traffic through the strait following joint US-Israeli military strikes on Iran from February 28, 2026, which included the killing of Iran's Supreme Leader.
- India secured a diplomatic exemption from the blockade; Iran's envoy to New Delhi confirmed that Tehran allowed Indian vessels passage as a rare exception.
- The Indian Navy deployed warships to escort the tankers through the Gulf of Oman, with satellite tracking data confirming three Indian Navy vessels in the vicinity.
- India's Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways confirmed the safe passage through a Special Secretary.
Static Topic Bridges
Strait of Hormuz as a Strategic Chokepoint
The Strait of Hormuz, located between Iran and Oman, connects the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea. In 2024, approximately 20 million barrels per day of oil — roughly 20% of global petroleum liquids consumption — transited through it. It is also a conduit for roughly one-fifth of global LNG trade, primarily from Qatar. The strait is only about 21–33 nautical miles wide at its narrowest, and very few pipeline alternatives exist: only Saudi Arabia and the UAE have partial bypass capacity (3.5–5.5 million barrels per day combined), far below total throughput.
- Handles over 20% of global oil consumption by volume
- Primary export route for Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, Iraq, Bahrain, and Iran
- Asia — particularly India, China, and Japan — receives the bulk of Hormuz-transiting oil
- No suspension of transit passage is permissible under UNCLOS Part III for international straits
Connection to this news: The Strait of Hormuz's closure by Iran following US-Israeli strikes created an immediate energy supply crisis for India, making the exemption obtained for these two LPG tankers a significant diplomatic and energy security development.
India's LPG Import Dependence
India is the world's second-largest consumer of LPG. Approximately 62–65% of its total LPG demand is met through imports. More than 90% of those imports — around 20.5 million metric tonnes in 2024 — came from West Asian suppliers, with nearly all shipments routed through the Strait of Hormuz. Qatar (about 34%), UAE (about 26%), and Kuwait (about 8%) are the top suppliers. The Ujjwala Yojana scheme, which has connected over 100 million Below Poverty Line households to LPG, has sharply increased domestic consumption while indigenous production has not kept pace.
- India imports ~62–65% of its LPG needs
- Over 90% of LPG imports transit the Strait of Hormuz
- Qatar, UAE, Kuwait are top three suppliers
- Ujjwala Yojana expanded LPG access to BPL households significantly
Connection to this news: The disruption of Hormuz passage directly threatened India's household cooking fuel supply, explaining both the diplomatic urgency to secure exemption and the domestic policy measures that followed.
Operation Sankalp and Indian Naval Escort Doctrine
India launched Operation Sankalp in June 2019 to deploy Indian Navy warships in the Gulf of Oman and the Strait of Hormuz to escort Indian-flagged merchant vessels and ensure safe passage following a series of tanker attacks attributed to Iranian forces. Under this framework, the Navy stations vessels in the region on a rotational basis and responds to distress calls from merchant ships. The Indian Maritime Doctrine (editions 2004, 2009, 2014) explicitly identifies protection of sea lanes of communication (SLOCs) and energy supply routes as core naval responsibilities.
- Operation Sankalp: launched June 2019, ongoing presence in Gulf of Oman
- Mandate: escort Indian-flagged merchant vessels through conflict-affected waters
- Indian Navy maintains two warships permanently in the Arabian Sea/Gulf of Aden/Gulf of Oman area
- Indian Maritime Doctrine recognises SLOC protection as a primary naval mission
Connection to this news: The Indian Navy's immediate deployment to escort MV Shivalik and MV Nanda Devi through the Gulf of Oman was a direct application of the Operation Sankalp framework, demonstrating the institutional readiness built since 2019.
Transit Passage Rights Under UNCLOS
Under UNCLOS Part III (Articles 37–44), ships and aircraft of all states — including warships — enjoy the right of transit passage through straits used for international navigation, such as the Strait of Hormuz. Unlike innocent passage, transit passage cannot be suspended by the coastal state even on security grounds. Iran, however, is not a signatory to UNCLOS (1982) and disputes the extent of these rights. This legal ambiguity has long been a source of tension: Iran ratified UNCLOS only partially and asserts that military vessels require prior notification. In practice, Iran's ability to enforce a blockade is constrained by the geopolitical costs of doing so against major trading partners.
- UNCLOS Article 38: all ships have right of transit passage through international straits
- Coastal states cannot suspend or hamper transit passage (Article 44)
- Iran is not a full UNCLOS signatory — asserts bilateral negotiation rights
- The Strait of Hormuz qualifies as an "international strait" under UNCLOS criteria
Connection to this news: Iran's selective granting of passage to Indian vessels — rather than a blanket reopening — suggests it is exercising extra-legal leverage, using access as a diplomatic tool while UNCLOS norms remain contested.
Key Facts & Data
- Vessels: MV Shivalik and MV Nanda Devi (Indian-flagged LPG carriers)
- Combined cargo: approximately 92,700 metric tonnes of LPG
- Destination ports: Mundra and Kandla (Gujarat)
- Strait of Hormuz: ~20 million barrels/day oil throughput (20% of global consumption)
- India's LPG import dependence: ~62–65% of total demand
- Over 90% of India's LPG imports transit the Strait of Hormuz
- India is the world's second-largest LPG consumer
- Operation Sankalp: Indian Navy escort mission active since June 2019
- Oil prices crossed $100/barrel following the Hormuz disruption