Indian warships have escorted two Indian‑flagged liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) tankers through the Gulf of Oman, reinforcing maritime security amid heightened tensions following the ongoing United States–Iran war and disruption at the Strait of Hormuz. The operation comes a day after the tankers successfully transited the critical strait — a globally strategic chokepoint for energy supplies.
According to Indian tracking data, the LPG carriers Pine Gas and Jag Vasant, collectively carrying more than 92,000 tonnes of LPG, safely passed through the Strait of Hormuz on March 23 before moving south into the Gulf of Oman. These vessels are bound for Indian ports, carrying fuel crucial for the country’s energy needs.
In response to the volatile security environment — marked by attacks on commercial shipping and threats to maritime trade — the Indian Navy has deployed multiple warships under Operation Sankalp to escort and protect Indian merchant vessels in nearby waters. Naval assets met the LPG tankers after their Hormuz transit to shepherd them through the Gulf of Oman toward safer open sea and onward passage to India.
This deployment reflects a broader effort by India to safeguard its energy supply routes, particularly as conflict in West Asia and disruptions around Hormuz have left many commercial ships stranded or hesitant to transit the region. With roughly 85–90 % of India’s LPG imports typically sourced via the Persian Gulf, ensuring the secure movement of such tankers has become a priority.
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The Indian naval escorts operate in international waters outside the Strait of Hormuz proper, focusing on the Gulf of Oman and Arabian Sea segment, where ongoing maritime security risks — including possible hostile actions and sea mines — persist. Officials have emphasised that these protective measures are intended to reassure shipping companies and maintain essential trade flows rather than signal any direct confrontation.
As global energy markets remain sensitive to conflict‑related instability, India’s warship escorts for LPG and other energy carriers underscore the strategic importance of naval power in securing sea lines of communication and mitigating risks to vital imports during periods of geopolitical uncertainty.
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