India
oi-Ashish Rana
Two Indian vessels carrying crude oil came under fire from the Iranian Navy near the Strait of Hormuz, triggering a sharp response from New Delhi, which has conveyed its strong displeasure to Tehran and warned that such actions will have consequences. Officials confirmed on Sunday that there were no casualties in the incident, though one of the ships suffered damage after the glass of a cabin was shattered during the firing.
Near the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday, the Iranian Navy fired upon Indian crude oil vessels Jag Arnav and Sanmar Herald, causing damage but no casualties. India strongly protested the incident, summoning the Iranian envoy and reaffirming its commitment to free navigation in the vital waterway.
India Says No Casualties, But Incident Taken Seriously
The two vessels, Jag Arnav and Sanmar Herald, were fired upon on Saturday north of Oman while attempting to transit the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical oil shipping lanes. Both ships were forced to turn back after the incident.
Officials said that while all crew members on board the two ships are safe, the matter is being treated with utmost seriousness by Indian authorities. One official made it clear that India would not ignore the development and said there would be consequences for the firing.
The two ships are understood to be large crude oil tankers carrying millions of barrels of oil, underlining the significance of the disruption not only for India’s energy security but also for global oil flows.
Rift Within Iran Over Hormuz Strategy
Sources indicated that there appears to be a difference in position between the Iranian diplomatic mission in India and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) over the firing episode.
According to officials familiar with the matter, the IRGC is pushing to impose a toll on ships moving through the Strait of Hormuz amid Iran’s conflict with the United States and Israel. However, Indian authorities are unwilling to accept any such demand.
While reports have suggested that the IRGC has been collecting tolls from vessels crossing the strait, an Indian official dismissed the possibility of India paying. The official stressed that there was “no chance” of India agreeing to any such arrangement.
This comes despite Iran having earlier stated that countries not directly involved in the conflict with the US and Israel would not be targeted. India has also been listed by Tehran among the friendly nations whose ships were supposedly being allowed passage through the strategic waterway.
New Delhi Lodges Strong Protest With Tehran
The attack has led to a firm diplomatic reaction from India. New Delhi has summoned the Iranian envoy and formally registered a protest over the firing on the two Indian ships.
Officials said India has made its position clear that the country supports open and free navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, and any threat to Indian commercial shipping in the region is unacceptable.
The incident is particularly sensitive because India remains one of the largest users of the Strait of Hormuz, with a substantial number of Indian-linked vessels passing through the route due to the country’s heavy reliance on energy imports from the Gulf.
The Strait, located between Iran and Oman, handles roughly 20 per cent of global crude oil shipments, making it one of the most strategically important maritime corridors in the world.
Details Of The Two Ships And Their Routes
Shipping data from Marine Traffic showed that Jag Arnav, described as a bulk carrier sailing under the Indian flag, had departed from Al Jubail in Saudi Arabia and was headed to India when it came under fire.
The second vessel, Sanmar Herald, was also en route to India and was transporting crude oil loaded in Iraq, according to officials.
The firing took place shortly after Iran had announced a temporary reopening of the Strait of Hormuz on Friday. That reopening followed a US-brokered 10-day ceasefire agreement on Thursday between Israel and Lebanon.
The attack has therefore raised fresh concerns over the reliability of safe passage in the region, even after the ceasefire announcement.
Iranian Warship Still Docked In Kochi Amid Tensions
The latest confrontation has unfolded even as IRIS Lavan, an Iranian warship that sought refuge in India, remains berthed at Kochi port in Kerala.
Officials said around 120 of the 183 crew members on board IRIS Lavan have already been repatriated, while a smaller essential crew continues to remain in Kochi to maintain the vessel.
The ship had sought shelter in India after another Iranian warship, IRIS Dena, was allegedly torpedoed and sunk by a US submarine near Sri Lanka on March 4.
The presence of the Iranian warship in Kochi adds another layer of complexity to an already tense situation, as India balances humanitarian considerations with a hardening position on the attack on its merchant vessels.
