India on Monday said it had not held any bilateral discussions with the United States regarding measures to ensure the safe passage of merchant ships through the Strait of Hormuz.
The clarification from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) came amid calls by US President Donald Trump, urging several nations to deploy warships to help keep the strategically important maritime corridor open.
According to a PTI report, in a media briefing, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal mentioned, “We are aware of this particular matter being discussed by several countries. We have not yet discussed it in a bilateral setting.”
The remarks were made in response to a query on whether the United States had approached India to send warships to the area.
The MEA spokesperson said India would continue consultations with various stakeholders on the issue.
In his comments, Jaiswal also reiterated India’s appeal for de-escalation of tensions in West Asia.
“We have, and we continue to call for de-escalation, for exercise of restraint and for countries to adopt the path of dialogue and diplomacy so that there can be an early end to this conflict. We have also said that the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all states must be respected,” he remarked.
International oil and gas prices have climbed sharply after Iran effectively obstructed movement through the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow channel linking the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman, which carries around 20% of global crude oil and liquefied natural gas supplies.
In a post on social media, Trump expressed hope that countries such as China, France, Japan, South Korea and the United Kingdom, among others affected by Iran’s attempt to close the Strait of Hormuz, would deploy naval forces to the region to help keep the vital shipping lane “safe and open”.
So far, however, there has been no firm response from the major powers.
Reacting to the developments, China urged all parties to immediately halt military actions in West Asia to ensure that the Strait of Hormuz remains accessible for global maritime trade.
Jaishankar on talks with Iran
In an interview with the Financial TimesExternal Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said India did not have a “blanket arrangement” with Iran to allow Indian-flagged vessels to pass through the Strait of Hormuz.
However, he noted that discussions with Tehran on ensuring the safe transit of Indian ships were “ongoing” and “yielding results”.
Meanwhile, two Indian-flagged LPG carriers, Shivalik and Nanda Devi, carrying 92,712 metric tonnes of LPG, successfully crossed the strategic waterway early on Saturday. Shivalik reached Gujarat’s Mundra Port on Monday.
