What Happened
- The Indian-flagged LPG tanker Pine Gas, carrying 45,000 metric tons of LPG, was stranded for nearly three weeks after Iran began selectively blocking passage through the Strait of Hormuz following U.S.-Israel strikes on Iran from late February 2026.
- The vessel's 27 Indian crew members watched missiles and drones fly overhead daily while anchored near the UAE's Ruwais port, where it had loaded cargo on February 27.
- Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) designated a rare alternate passage north of Larak Island as the operative route after the standard Hormuz channel was mined; the Indian Navy guided Pine Gas through this corridor.
- Four Indian warships then escorted the tanker for approximately 20 hours from the Strait exit through the Gulf of Oman into the Arabian Sea under Operation Sankalp.
- Between March 14 and 24, India evacuated five Indian-flagged LPG carriers from the Hormuz region in three separate operations; on March 26, Iran announced that vessels of five nations — India, China, Russia, Iraq, and Pakistan — would receive passage clearance.
Static Topic Bridges
Strait of Hormuz — The World's Most Critical Oil Chokepoint
The Strait of Hormuz is a narrow waterway between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, about 33–96 km wide at its narrowest navigable points. It provides the only sea passage from the Persian Gulf to the open ocean, making it the single most important energy chokepoint globally. Approximately 20 million barrels per day — roughly 20% of global petroleum liquids consumption and about 25% of total seaborne oil trade — transited the strait annually in 2024. About 20% of the world's LNG and up to 30% of internationally traded fertilizers also pass through it. Nearly 90% of crude exports through the strait flow to Asian markets, including India.
- Located between Iran (north) and Oman/UAE (south); narrowest navigable width approximately 3.2 km per lane in a two-lane shipping corridor
- 20 million barrels/day of oil transited in 2024 (EIA data)
- 20% of global LNG trade; up to 30% of internationally traded fertilizers
- Any disruption raises Brent crude benchmarks and LNG spot prices globally within 48–72 hours
Connection to this news: Pine Gas's three-week delay illustrates directly how an Iranian chokehold on the strait can strand Indian energy cargoes; the alternate Larak route is longer, shallower, and less navigable for large tankers, making it only a partial substitute.
Operation Sankalp — India's Standing Maritime Escort Mission
Operation Sankalp was launched by the Indian Navy on June 19, 2019, initially in response to escalating Iranian-U.S. tensions during tanker attacks in the Gulf of Oman. Its mandate is to ensure the safe transit of Indian-flagged merchant vessels — particularly LPG and crude oil tankers — through the Persian Gulf, Gulf of Oman, and Gulf of Aden. The operation is coordinated across the Ministries of Defence, External Affairs, Shipping, and Petroleum and Natural Gas. In the 2026 crisis, Operation Sankalp was reactivated with additional warship deployments to the Gulf of Oman to escort stranded fuel carriers after the Hormuz closure.
- Launched: June 19, 2019 (original trigger: tanker attacks in Gulf of Oman)
- Standing operation: Indian naval assets deployed on rotational basis in IOR
- 2026 scope: escorting LPG and crude tankers through Gulf of Oman into Arabian Sea
- Coordinated by National Security Advisor and Ministry of External Affairs via back-channel diplomacy with Tehran
Connection to this news: Pine Gas received close-protection escort from Indian warships for ~20 hours after exiting Hormuz, directly under Operation Sankalp's expanded mandate in the 2026 conflict.
India's LPG Import Dependence and Energy Security
India imports approximately 85–89% of its crude oil requirements, with a significant share arriving through the Strait of Hormuz from Gulf producers. LPG imports are especially critical — public sector Oil Marketing Companies (IOC, BPCL, HPCL) supply cooking gas to nearly 99% of Indian households. Supply disruptions of even 15–20 days can reduce buffer stocks significantly. In March 2026, the government invoked the Essential Commodities Act, 1955 to direct refiners and OMCs to prioritise domestic LPG allocation and restrict hoarding during the crisis.
- India's crude oil import dependence: ~88.6% of consumption (FY2025-26, first 10 months)
- LPG supplied to households primarily by IOC, BPCL, HPCL under ECA direction
- Essential Commodities Act, 1955: empowers government to regulate production, pricing, and supply of designated goods including petroleum products
- Every $10/barrel rise in crude adds ~$13–14 billion to India's annual import bill
Connection to this news: The Pine Gas cargo — 45,000 MT of LPG — represents a supply load critical to household cooking fuel. The three-week delay directly stressed India's LPG buffer stocks, prompting the ECA invocation and naval intervention.
Key Facts & Data
- Pine Gas tonnage: 45,000 metric tons of LPG
- Crew: 27 Indian nationals
- Delay duration: approximately 3 weeks (loaded February 27; escaped in mid-March)
- Indian Navy escort duration: ~20 hours (Gulf of Oman to Arabian Sea)
- Total Indian-flagged LPG carriers evacuated: 5 vessels between March 14–24, 2026
- Privileged-passage nations announced by Iran (March 26): India, China, Russia, Iraq, Pakistan
- Strait of Hormuz oil flow: ~20 million barrels/day (20% of global petroleum consumption)
- Operation Sankalp launch: June 19, 2019