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India: Targeting commercial ships unacceptable

March 21, 2026 4 min read International Relations Internal Security GS2 GS3
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What Happened

  • India's High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Vikram Doraiswami, addressed an emergency session of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) in London, strongly condemning attacks on commercial vessels.
  • India declared that targeting merchant ships, endangering civilian seafarers, and obstructing free movement through international waterways such as the Strait of Hormuz is "completely unacceptable under any circumstances."
  • The statement comes as the West Asia conflict has severely disrupted global shipping lanes, with the Strait of Hormuz under particular threat from ongoing hostilities in the Persian Gulf region.
  • India highlighted its deep national stake: approximately 23,000 Indian seafarers have been directly affected by the crisis, and India provides roughly 12% of the global maritime workforce.

Static Topic Bridges

The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), adopted in 1982 and entering into force in 1994, is the primary international legal framework governing navigation, maritime zones, and the use of ocean resources. Part III of UNCLOS (Articles 34–45) specifically governs international straits, establishing the right of "transit passage" — freedom of navigation and overflight solely for the purpose of continuous and expeditious transit. Unlike "innocent passage" in territorial waters, transit passage through international straits cannot be suspended by coastal states even for security reasons.

  • The Strait of Hormuz connects the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and Arabian Sea; approximately 21 million barrels of oil pass through it daily, representing about 21% of global petroleum liquids.
  • Under UNCLOS Articles 37–44, all ships enjoy the right of transit passage through straits used for international navigation — including the Strait of Hormuz.
  • Iran (a UNCLOS non-signatory) and Oman are the two coastal states bordering the Strait; both have previously threatened to restrict passage.
  • UNCLOS Article 44 specifically prohibits coastal states from hampering transit passage and requires them to give adequate publicity to dangers to navigation.
  • India ratified UNCLOS in 1995 and is a strong proponent of rules-based maritime order.

Connection to this news: India's statement at the IMO directly invokes the UNCLOS framework — specifically the non-suspendable right of transit passage — arguing that no party to the West Asia conflict has the legal authority to obstruct commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.

Operation Sankalp: India's Maritime Security Posture in the Gulf

Operation Sankalp was launched by the Indian Navy on June 19, 2019, to ensure the safe transit of Indian-flagged vessels through the Strait of Hormuz and the broader Gulf of Oman during a period of escalating US-Iran tensions. The operation marked a shift in India's naval posture from passive presence to active escort missions in a strategically vital choke point. In 2026, as West Asia conflict escalated, the Indian Navy deployed additional warships near the Gulf of Oman to escort LPG tankers — including SCI Shivalik and SCI Nanda Devi — through the Strait.

  • Operation Sankalp was launched in June 2019 in response to tanker attacks attributed to Iran in the Gulf of Oman.
  • By 2024, the Indian Navy had deployed over 30 ships and completed over 450 ship-days under this operation, safely escorting 230+ merchant vessels.
  • In March 2026, Indian Navy warships escorted Shipping Corporation of India LPG tankers owned by Indian Oil Corporation through the Strait of Hormuz.
  • India has deliberately kept Operation Sankalp a unilateral mission, declining to formally join Western naval coalitions such as Operation Prosperity Guardian, to preserve strategic autonomy.

Connection to this news: India's IMO statement translates into concrete operational action — the Indian Navy's active escort missions in the Strait demonstrate that India backs its diplomatic position on maritime freedom with naval capability, especially when Indian seafarers and energy supply are at risk.

India's Maritime Workforce and Energy Import Dependence

India is the world's third-largest supplier of seafarers, contributing approximately 12% of the global maritime workforce of 1.9 million. With over 300,000 trained seafarers working on internationally trading ships, India has a profound human and economic stake in maritime safety. Simultaneously, India imports over 85% of its crude oil requirements, with a significant portion transiting through the Strait of Hormuz and the Arabian Sea — making secure sea lanes an existential requirement for India's energy security.

  • India ranks third globally (after Philippines and China) in seafarer supply with ~300,000 trained mariners, up from ~103,000 in 2013.
  • Approximately 23,000 Indian seafarers were directly affected by the 2026 West Asia conflict shipping disruption.
  • India imports approximately 4.5–5 million barrels of oil per day; Gulf states (Saudi Arabia, Iraq, UAE) are top suppliers with shipments passing through the Strait of Hormuz.
  • Disruption to the Strait of Hormuz would spike Indian crude import costs, fuel inflation, and LPG availability — directly impacting household energy.

Connection to this news: India's forceful tone at the IMO emergency session reflects not merely legal principle but acute economic and human vulnerability — with thousands of Indian nationals at sea and the country's energy lifeline running through contested waters.

Key Facts & Data

  • Strait of Hormuz: ~21 million barrels of oil pass through daily (~21% of global petroleum liquids)
  • UNCLOS Part III (Articles 37–44): establishes non-suspendable right of transit passage through international straits
  • India ratified UNCLOS in 1995
  • Operation Sankalp launched: June 19, 2019
  • India: 12% of global seafaring workforce (~300,000 seafarers); ranks 3rd globally after Philippines and China
  • ~23,000 Indian seafarers affected by the 2026 West Asia maritime crisis
  • India imports over 85% of crude oil requirements; Gulf remains the dominant source
  • IMO: International Maritime Organisation, based in London; India is a member