Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) summoned Iran ambassador Dr Mohammad Fathali after India-flagged tanker was shot at near the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday, reported the Hindustan Times. The report said that he was summoned by India to lodge a formal protest against the incident.
On Saturday, an Indian crude oil tanker carrying about two million barrels of Iraqi oil – came under fire from the Iranian Navy north of Oman, people aware of the matter told HT.
Shortly after, reports also came in – mentioning that two Indian ships were forced to turn back from the Strait of Hormuz.
Which vessels were fired at?
Two vessels, Jag Arnav and Sanmar Herald, were involved in the incident – with one coming under direct attack, as per HT's report. Initial reports mentioned that Jag Arnav was shot at, while Sanmar Herald – which was nearby – was not targeted, and remained unharmed.
The latest incident has raised fresh concerns over maritime security around Strait of Hormuz.
People aware of the matter told HT that the Indian Navy is trying to ascertain details of the incident as there are no ships of the Indian Navy in the region.
The Strait of Hormuz connects the oil-rich Persian Gulf to the Indian Ocean and sits between Iran and Oman’s Musandam exclave. It has emerged as a focal point in the ongoing US, Israel's conflict with Iran, after the Islamic Republic previously attacked ships in the critical waterway.
Why is Hormuz significant?
The Strait of Hormuz serves as a key route for roughly a quarter of the world’s liquefied natural gas and seaborne exports from Gulf nations to global markets.
Described by the US Energy Information Administration (EIA) as one of the world’s most important oil chokepoints, the strait handles about 20 million barrels of oil per day — roughly one-fifth of global consumption — and around one-fifth of global LNG trade, mainly from Qatar.
Iran has long used the Strait of Hormuz as a geopolitical pressure point. Naval operations in the area are controlled by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), which oversees Iran’s asymmetric maritime capabilities.
