Kamal Ghorui
NEW DELHI: India has lodged a strong protest after two India-flagged ships came under fire in the Strait of Hormuz. The ministry of external affairs, on Saturday, summoned Iranian envoy Mohammad Fathali over the incident. It urged the Iranian envoy to resume the process of facilitating India-bound ships at earliest.During the meeting, the foreign secretary, Vikram Misri, conveyed India’s concerns and noted the importance that India attached to the safety of merchant shipping and mariners and recalled that Iran had earlier facilitated the safe passage of several ships bound for India.The MEA shared the statement on the incident.Reiterating his concern at this serious incident of firing on merchant ships, Misri urged the Ambassador to convey India’s views to the authorities in Iran and resume at the earliest the process of facilitating India-bound ships across the Strait.The Iranian envoy undertook to convey these views to the Iranian authorities.Earlier on Saturday, Tehran announced that it would reimpose restrictions on the strategic waterway, after briefly reopening the strait for commercial vessels. It accused the United States of violating the agreement, alleging that Washington failed to lift the blockade on Iranian ports despite Iran reopening the route following a separate 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon.However, shortly after the announcement, merchant vessels transiting the strait received a broadcast from the Iranian navy stating that the waterway was closed to all vessels without exception.
Iran fires at India-flagged ships
The Indian-flagged vessel, carrying around 2 million barrels of Iraqi crude, was transiting the Strait of Hormuz when gunshots were reported forcing the ships to reverse their course. The incident prompted the tanker to make a sudden U-turn, underscoring rising risks for Indian shipping in the region. While officials confirmed that the crew and vessel were safe, authorities have not disclosed further operational details.The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said two gunboats linked to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) opened fire on a tanker in the strait. Though the vessel was not officially identified, shipping intelligence firm TankerTrackers.com reported that multiple ships, including an Indian supertanker, reversed course following the incident.The disruption was not limited to Indian vessels. According to Reuters and other tracking data, at least two merchant ships came under gunfire while attempting to pass through the strait. Several Greek tankers also turned back earlier in the day, reflecting broader safety concerns among global shipowners navigating one of the world’s busiest oil corridors..
