A day after tensions escalated in the Strait of Hormuz, more details have emerged about the two Indian-flagged vessels that came under fire, prompting a swift diplomatic response from New Delhi.
This marks the first time that Iranian forces have fired upon Indian-flagged or owned merchant vessels in the war-torn waterway. Track US-Iran war live updates.
The episode comes even as multiple Indian-flagged ships have continued to pass through the strait in recent weeks without incident – the MT Desh Garima, one such vessel, transited the strait at 1pm IST on Saturday and is bound for Mumbai. As reported by HT earlier, at least nine vessels had safely crossed the route recently, while 13 more remain in the Persian Gulf.
Which Indian ships were targeted?
The shipping ministry has identified the two vessels as the Sanmar Herald, a crude oil tanker, and the Jag Arnav, a bulk carrier.
Both ships were transiting the Strait of Hormuz when they were reportedly fired upon by boats of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). The vessels turned back following the incident. Importantly, no injuries were reported.
The external affairs ministry has not yet released details of the ship.
However, according to Marine Traffic, Sanmar Herald was en route to India carrying crude oil from Iraq, while Jag Arnav had departed from Al Jubail in Saudi Arabia and was also headed towards India.
What exactly happened in the Strait?
According to officials, the firing took place as the ships were navigating one of the world’s busiest and most sensitive shipping lanes.
The UK Maritime Operations Centre, which monitors such incidents, said one oil tanker was approached by two IRGC gunboats without any prior radio communication. The gunboats “then fired upon the tanker,” it added. The vessel and its crew were reported safe.
In a separate incident nearby, another ship was “hit by an unknown projectile which caused damage to some of the containers”, though there were no fires or environmental damage.
People familiar with the developments indicated that both vessels involved in these incidents were Indian-flagged.
India lodges protest, envoy ‘called in’
In response, the external affairs ministry moved quickly. Iranian ambassador Mohammed Fathali was “called in” for a meeting with foreign secretary Vikram Misri on Saturday evening.
“During the meeting, the foreign secretary conveyed India’s deep concern at the shooting incident earlier today involving two Indian-flagged ships in the Strait of Hormuz,” ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said.
Misri underlined the importance India attaches to maritime safety and reminded the Iranian side of its earlier role in facilitating safe passage for India-bound ships.
“Reiterating his concern at this serious incident of firing on merchant ships, foreign secretary urged the ambassador to convey India’s views to the authorities in Iran and resume at the earliest the process of facilitating India-bound ships across the strait,” Jaiswal added.
Fathali, according to the ministry, undertook to convey India’s concerns to authorities in Tehran.
Lingering ceasefire tensions
The firing incidents come against the backdrop of rising regional tensions amid an ongoing effort to formalise a ceasefire agreement between US and Iran. Notably, Supreme National Security Council of Tehran has said it would resume control over the Strait of Hormuz “until the end of the war is definitively concluded”.
It also warned that continued US actions, including what it described as a blockade of Iranian ports, would be treated as a breach of ceasefire conditions.
