India is dispatching more than half a dozen warships to the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea to ensure the safe passage of its vessels, amid heightened tensions over the Strait of Hormuz. The move comes as India anticipates Iran may permit more of its fuel tankers to exit the strategic waterway.
Sources familiar with the matter stated that the Indian Navy is deploying logistics vessels and warships to the region as a precautionary measure. The ships will be positioned east of the Strait of Hormuz, without entering the waterway itself, with the primary goal of escorting Indian vessels through potentially dangerous waters until they reach safer areas in the northern Arabian Sea.
Recent efforts have seen India successfully secure the transit of two state-owned tankers carrying liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), and negotiations are ongoing with Iran to facilitate passage for additional fuel ships. The Strait of Hormuz has been largely shut since late February, following US and Israeli airstrikes targeting Iran, leading to severe fuel shortages in India, which relies on the Middle East for about 90% of its LPG imports.
Despite demands from US President Donald Trump for other countries to send battleships to assist ships passing through the strait, India has not publicly responded to this appeal. A spokesperson for India’s Ministry of External Affairs, Randhir Jaiswal, clarified earlier this week that the issue has not been discussed bilaterally with the United States.
India’s official policy remains focused on participating in international military operations under United Nations mandates rather than engaging in unilateral actions. The Indian Navy has previously deployed ships to the Arabian Sea to counter piracy and ensure maritime security, including a significant deployment in 2024 following attacks linked to Iran-backed Houthi militants in Yemen.
The current deployment is part of Operation Sankalp, a 2019 initiative aimed at safeguarding merchant shipping and protecting India’s maritime interests in the Gulf region. According to officials, 22 India-flagged vessels are currently stranded in the Persian Gulf, including six LPG carriers, one LNG tanker, and four crude oil tankers.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently discussed the “serious situation in the region” with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, focusing on strategies to secure safe passage for Indian ships through the Strait of Hormuz.