India says diplomacy with Iran is helping reopen shipping through the Strait of Hormuz as global powers debate military protection for the vital oil route.
Summary:
India says diplomacy with Iran has helped reopen shipping routes through the Strait of Hormuz.
Foreign minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar cited talks with Tehran that allowed two Indian LPG carriers to transit safely.
The strait carries about 20% of global oil supply and remains under pressure amid Middle East conflict.
U.S. President Donald Trump has urged nations to deploy warships to secure the passage.
India says there is no blanket agreement guaranteeing safe passage for its vessels.
Tehran has not received concessions in return for facilitating the transit.
India says diplomatic engagement with Iran is ongoing and has already produced some results.
India’s foreign minister has said diplomacy with Iran is proving the most effective path to restoring shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, highlighting recent talks with Tehran that have already enabled some vessels to pass through the strategically vital waterway.
Speaking in an interview with the Financial Times published Sunday, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar said direct dialogue with Iran had delivered tangible results at a time when maritime security concerns have intensified across the Gulf.
The comments come as tensions remain elevated following military strikes involving the United States and Israel against Iranian targets, prompting renewed risks to commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow maritime corridor that carries roughly one-fifth of global oil supplies.
U.S. President Donald Trump on Saturday urged allied nations to deploy naval forces to help secure the passage. In a post on Truth Social, Trump called on countries including China, France, Japan, South Korea and the United Kingdom to send warships to safeguard shipping traffic through the critical energy chokepoint.
India, however, has emphasised diplomacy rather than military protection as the primary means of ensuring safe transit.
Jaishankar said discussions with Tehran had already allowed some Indian vessels to pass safely through the strait. Two Indian-flagged liquefied petroleum gas carriers, Shivalik and Nanda Devi, successfully crossed the waterway on Saturday while carrying around 92,700 metric tonnes of LPG bound for India. The passage, he said, demonstrated the potential benefits of continued dialogue.
According to Jaishankar, India has not reached any formal or blanket agreement guaranteeing safe passage for all Indian-flagged ships, and he stressed that Iran had not received any concessions in return for facilitating the recent crossings.
Instead, he characterised the development as the result of ongoing communication and coordination with Iranian authorities.
When asked whether European governments could replicate India’s approach, Jaishankar said each country’s relationship with Tehran was different and should be assessed on its own terms. Nonetheless, he indicated India would be willing to share insights from its diplomatic engagement with European partners if requested.
He also emphasised that negotiations remain ongoing, with further discussions likely as countries seek to stabilise shipping through the strategically vital waterway.
