Jaishankar says India in talks with Iran to reopen Strait of Hormuz amid energy supply concerns

The movement of ships is currently being handled on a case-by-case basis, according to Jaishankar

• India in talks with Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz
• Ship movements handled case-by-case, no blanket deal yet
• Two Indian LPG carriers crossed the Strait, en route to India

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External affairs minister S Jaishankar said India is in discussions with Iran to help reopen the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz, as New Delhi moves to ease concerns over potential energy supply disruptions.

In an interview with the Financial Times, Jaishankar hailed the talks and said they are “already yielding some results,” adding that India believes it is more productive to “reason and coordinate” with Tehran to find a way forward rather than avoid engagement.

He, however, clarified that India has not yet reached any "blanket arrangement" with Iran regarding India-flagged vessels. According to Jaishankar, the movement of ships is currently being handled on a case-by-case basis.

The comments come after President Donald Trump warned that the US could carry out additional strikes on Kharg Island and urged allied nations to deploy naval forces to secure the Strait of Hormuz. The warning comes amid escalating tensions, with Iran pledging to intensify its retaliation.

When asked whether European nations could pursue a similar arrangement, Jaishankar said that every country’s engagement with Iran is shaped by its own circumstances, making direct comparisons difficult. However, he said India would be open to sharing its approach with European capitals, noting that several of them have also maintained dialogue with Tehran.

“While this is a welcome development, discussions are still ongoing as there is more work to be done,” he told the FT.

Earlier, an Indian-flagged tanker carrying 80,800 metric tonnes of the United Arab Emirates’ Murban crude departed from Fujairah for India on Sunday, according to the government, a day after reports indicated that some loading operations at the UAE port had been temporarily halted.

The vessel, Jag Laadki, was in the process of loading crude at a Single Point Mooring facility when the Fujairah terminal came under attack, the ministry of petroleum and natural gas said in a statement on Sunday.

Meanwhile, India has requested safe passage for 22 of its vessels currently stranded west of the Strait of Hormuz. A spokesperson for the ministry of external affairs said on Saturday that Iran had allowed a few Indian ships to transit through the waterway in what appeared to be a rare exception to the ongoing blockade.

In a separate development, two Indian-flagged LPG carriers — Shivalik and Nanda Devi — transporting around 92,712 metric tonnes of liquefied petroleum gas crossed the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday and are en route to India. The vessels are expected to reach Mundra on March 16 and Kandla on March 17, respectively.