Kamal Ghorui
NEW DELHI: India is considering sending naval ships to escort its vessels through the Strait of Hormuz amid the ongoing Middle East tensions, according to a report by The New York Times.The report said the move is being examined following requests from Indian shipowners seeking protection for commercial vessels navigating the strategic waterway.“India was also considering sending its warships in response to requests from Indian shipowners for naval escorts,” the newspaper reported, quoting Capt. P.C. Meena, a senior official at India’s main maritime authority.The Strait of Hormuz has become a high-risk zone for shipping after tensions escalated in the Middle East following attacks involving Iran, the United States and Israel. The conflict, now in its second week, has disrupted maritime traffic and raised concerns about energy supplies.The Middle East supplies about 55 per cent of India’s crude oil, according to brokerage firm Jefferies. Around 35 per cent of India’s oil imports pass through the Strait of Hormuz.India also depends heavily on liquefied petroleum gas imports from Gulf countries such as the UAE, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. Nearly 80 per cent of the country’s LPG imports transit through the strategic waterway.Reports suggest that several Indian vessels are currently unable to cross the Strait of Hormuz due to security risks linked to the conflict.Around 38 Indian-flagged commercial ships carrying more than 1,100 sailors are stranded in the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, according to a report earlier this month.Union Shipping Minister Sarbananda Sonowal has directed officials, including the Directorate General of Shipping, to take steps to ensure the safety of Indian seafarers and maritime assets.Meanwhile, Pakistan has deployed naval escorts for its commercial vessels operating in the region. The Pakistani navy said its warships would accompany merchant ships in the Middle East “to ensure the uninterrupted flow of national energy supplies.”Images released by the navy showed a warship escorting a crude oil tanker belonging to Pakistan’s national shipping company.Pakistan imports most of its natural gas from Qatar and crude oil from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Shipping companies have reportedly slowed or halted energy shipments through the Strait of Hormuz due to rising security concerns.(With inputs from The New York Times)
