INSA CEO Anil Devli noted that several vessels are loaded with crude oil and LPG bound for India, while others await cargo south of Hormuz. (A file photo)
| Photo Credit:
NICOLAS ECONOMOU/Reuters
Indian shipowners have sought central government intervention to ensure the safe passage of oil tankers through the Hormuz Strait.
In a letter to Union Shipping Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, the Indian National ShipOwners’ Association (INSA) said there are 27 Indian flagged-vessels in the region. While most are in the Persian Gulf, some are in the Gulf of Aden.
“Given the fact that the Indian flag ships caught in the region are loaded with crude oil and LPG that is bound for India and the ships waiting South of the Hormuz Strait are waiting to load additional cargo, and given the limited strategic reserves that India holds, we are certain that it is extremely important that our ships are able to gain free and safe passage through the Straits,” INSA CEO Anil Devli said in a letter to shipping minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Monday.
The letter asks the government to convey its request to the authorities in Iran and Israel. “This will ensure the safety of Indian ships and Indian citizens who are on board these vessels. This will also create a safe supply chain of crude oil and LPG imports. Importantly, if Indian are assured safe passage it will work as a safeguard against unprecedented high freight and insurance charges against Indian ships,” Devli added.
Published on March 2, 2026