What Happened
- India has 22 ships stranded on the western side of the Strait of Hormuz, carrying over 5 lakh tonnes of LNG and LPG and 16.76 lakh tonnes of crude oil — assessed as critical to India's energy security.
- Of the 22 vessels, 20 have been formally assessed as critical; the fleet includes 6 LPG carriers, 1 LNG tanker, 4 crude oil tankers, container ships, and bulk carriers.
- All 611 Indian seafarers aboard these vessels are safe, with various agencies — including the Ministry of Shipping and Indian Navy — coordinating evacuation contingency planning.
- Two LPG tankers managed to transit the strait and are en route to India, providing limited relief to acute domestic LPG shortages.
- India imports approximately 88% of its crude oil, 50% of its natural gas, and 60% of its LPG, making unobstructed passage through Hormuz essential to energy supply continuity.
Static Topic Bridges
The Strait of Hormuz: World's Most Critical Oil Chokepoint
The Strait of Hormuz is a narrow waterway located between Iran to the north and Oman to the south, connecting the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea. It is the only sea exit from the Persian Gulf and represents the world's single most important oil transit chokepoint.
- In 2024, approximately 20 million barrels per day (b/d) of oil transited the strait — roughly 20% of global petroleum liquids consumption.
- The strait accounts for more than one-quarter of total global seaborne oil trade.
- Around one-fifth of global LNG trade also passes through Hormuz, primarily originating from Qatar.
- The strait is approximately 167 km long; at its narrowest, it is only about 39 km wide.
- Saudi Arabia (37.2%), Iraq (22.8%), UAE (12.9%), Iran (10.6%), and Kuwait (10.1%) are the top crude exporters through the strait.
- About 89% of crude exports through Hormuz go to Asian markets; China, India, Japan, and South Korea collectively account for 67% of flows.
Connection to this news: India's dependence on Gulf energy supplies makes any disruption at Hormuz a direct threat to its energy security; the 22 stranded ships carrying over 2.17 million tonnes of hydrocarbons illustrate how tightly India's energy import infrastructure is linked to this single passage.
India's Energy Import Dependence and Security Framework
India is the world's third-largest oil consumer and one of the largest LNG importers. Its high import dependence — particularly for crude oil — makes external supply disruptions a matter of national economic security. India's energy security policy rests on three pillars: import diversification, strategic reserve building, and domestic production enhancement.
- India imports approximately 88% of its crude oil requirement (one of the highest import-dependency ratios among major economies).
- India has Strategic Petroleum Reserves (SPR) at Visakhapatnam, Mangaluru, and Padur — with a combined capacity of approximately 5.33 million metric tonnes (MMT).
- The SPR was built under the Indian Strategic Petroleum Reserves Limited (ISPRL) as a buffer for 9-10 days of consumption.
- India's LPG import dependence stands at approximately 60%, with the Gulf being the primary source.
- India is pursuing energy diversification through Russian crude imports, US LNG contracts, and equity oil assets abroad via ONGC Videsh.
Connection to this news: With 22 ships stranded and domestic LPG supplies under stress, the incident has exposed a structural vulnerability in India's energy supply chain that SPR and diversification policies are meant to buffer against.
Freedom of Navigation Under International Law
Under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS, 1982), international straits used for navigation between two parts of the high seas enjoy the right of "transit passage" — a right that cannot be suspended by the coastal state. The Strait of Hormuz qualifies as an international strait under Article 37 of UNCLOS.
- Transit passage under UNCLOS Article 38 gives all ships the right of continuous and expeditious transit — a stronger right than "innocent passage" (which can be suspended).
- Iran has signed but not ratified UNCLOS; it claims only "innocent passage" rights through the strait under its domestic maritime law of 1993.
- The transit-passage regime is widely regarded as customary international law binding on all states, including non-parties to UNCLOS.
- India has not ratified UNCLOS either but supports freedom of navigation principles in its foreign policy.
Connection to this news: India's articulation of "safe and free navigation through the Strait of Hormuz" as a top priority (reiterated in PM Modi's call with Kuwait's Crown Prince) draws directly on the UNCLOS transit passage framework, and underscores the legal as well as strategic dimensions of the Hormuz crisis.
Key Facts & Data
- 22 India-bound ships stranded west of Strait of Hormuz (as of March 18, 2026)
- 20 of 22 vessels assessed as critical to India's energy security
- Cargo: Over 5 lakh tonnes (LNG + LPG) + 16.76 lakh tonnes crude oil
- 611 Indian seafarers aboard, all safe
- India crude oil import dependence: ~88%
- India LPG import dependence: ~60%
- India natural gas import dependence: ~50%
- India's SPR capacity: ~5.33 MMT (covers ~9-10 days consumption)
- Global oil through Hormuz: ~20 million b/d (~20% of global consumption)
- ~89% of Hormuz crude exports destined for Asia