What Happened
- As of April 6, 2026, 16 Indian vessels remain stranded in the Persian Gulf region due to the IRGC's closure of the Strait of Hormuz
- Eight Indian vessels, including two more LPG tankers named Green Asha and Green Sanvi, exited the Gulf safely — bringing the total number of Indian LPG carriers to exit the region to eight
- The Indian Navy facilitated the safe passage of LPG tankers through diplomatic and logistical coordination with Iranian authorities
- The Indian government maintained that food and fuel stocks are at adequate levels and that no significant price volatility has been experienced yet
- The Centre's statement was aimed at managing domestic market expectations and preventing panic buying
Static Topic Bridges
India's LPG Supply Chain and Dependence on Hormuz
Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) is a critical domestic fuel in India, used by over 300 million households for cooking under the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) scheme and the general public distribution system. India imports approximately 60% of its total LPG requirements, with nearly 90% of those imports normally transported through the Strait of Hormuz from Gulf producers. A sustained Hormuz closure therefore creates a structural supply shock to LPG that disproportionately affects lower-income households.
- India is the world's second-largest LPG importer (after China)
- Key LPG import sources: Saudi Arabia (Aramco), UAE, Kuwait
- Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY): launched 2016, provides subsidised LPG connections to Below Poverty Line households — over 100 million connections distributed
- Indian Oil Corporation (IOCL), Bharat Petroleum (BPCL), and Hindustan Petroleum (HPCL) are the three major state-owned LPG distributors
- Strategic petroleum reserves (SPR) exist for crude oil but not specifically for LPG
Connection to this news: The priority given to evacuating LPG tankers (Green Asha, Green Sanvi, and six others before them) reflects LPG's critical importance to India's household energy security, particularly for poor families dependent on PMUY connections.
India's Maritime Interests and the Indian Navy's Role
India's strategic interests in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) are guided by its position as a major maritime nation with a 7,516 km coastline. India's maritime doctrine (Indian Maritime Security Strategy, 2015) identifies the Persian Gulf as a "primary zone of interest" due to its importance for energy imports and trade. The Indian Navy maintains a continuous presence in the Gulf of Aden, Arabian Sea, and Persian Gulf to protect trade routes and Indian shipping.
- India's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ): 2.37 million sq km
- Indian Ocean Region: handles ~90% of India's trade by volume and ~80% by value
- The Indian Navy deploys escorts for high-value merchant vessels during crises (as it did during Houthi attacks in the Red Sea in 2023–24)
- India has bilateral maritime agreements with Oman, UAE, and Qatar that enable port access and coordination
- Operation Sankalp (2019) was a previous Indian Navy deployment to escort Indian-flagged vessels in the Gulf of Oman
Connection to this news: The successful exit of 8 LPG tankers through coordinated diplomatic and naval arrangements — with Iran allowing some vessels passage — demonstrates the Indian Navy's operational role in protecting India's energy lifeline.
India's Energy Security Strategy: Diversification and Reserves
India's energy security policy rests on three pillars: diversification of supply sources, development of strategic petroleum reserves (SPR), and demand-side management. Following the 2022 Russia-Ukraine war, India dramatically increased purchases of Russian crude, reducing its Persian Gulf share from 63% (2017) to approximately 46% (2024). However, LPG and LNG supply diversification has lagged behind crude diversification, leaving specific product categories highly vulnerable to Hormuz disruptions.
- Strategic Petroleum Reserves (SPR): India has underground rock cavern SPRs at Visakhapatnam, Mangaluru, and Padur — combined capacity of approximately 5.33 million tonnes (~39 million barrels)
- India's SPR can cover approximately 9–10 days of crude oil consumption
- Russian crude share: ~1% (2017) to ~36% (2024) — India's largest diversification success
- LPG diversification: limited due to infrastructure constraints; no major long-term contracts with non-Gulf LPG suppliers
- India refines and exports significant volumes of diesel and petrol — making export earnings also vulnerable to crude supply disruption
Connection to this news: The stranding of 16 Indian vessels illustrates the real-time consequence of India's residual Hormuz dependence — particularly for LPG — and the urgency of SPR expansion and supply chain diversification for products beyond crude oil.
Key Facts & Data
- 16 Indian vessels stranded in Persian Gulf/Gulf of Oman as of April 6, 2026
- 8 Indian vessels (including 2 more LPG ships — Green Asha, Green Sanvi) exited safely in recent days
- India imports ~60% of LPG requirements; ~90% normally via Strait of Hormuz
- India's LPG customer base: 300+ million households (world's largest)
- Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana: 100+ million LPG connections to BPL households
- India's Strategic Petroleum Reserves: 5.33 million tonnes (~9–10 days coverage) at Visakhapatnam, Mangaluru, Padur
- The Indian government stated food and fuel stocks remain adequate with no price volatility experienced yet