India and Pakistan have deployed warships to provide escorts for commercial vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz, ensuring safe passage for critical supplies of oil and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). Indian officials confirmed the move follows growing concerns about fuel security and mirrors Pakistan’s similar initiative launched last week.
India sent three Visakhapatnam-class destroyers to meet two Indian-flagged LPG carriers operated by the state-owned Shipping Corporation of India. The warships remained in the northern Gulf of Oman while monitoring the transit. The first vessel, Shivalik (54,534 dwt, built 2008), arrived at Mundra Port on March 16 carrying at least 40,000 metric tons of LPG. The second, Nanda Devi (53,500 dwt, built 2001), docked on March 17. The combined 92,700 metric tons of LPG delivery eased domestic supply concerns.
Operation Sankaip, as India calls its mission, ensures safe passage of its vessels and can provide direct naval escorts on request.
Pakistan’s navy has also begun escorting ships in the Arabian Sea, including crude oil tankers like Karachi (109,990 dwt), which recently transited close to the Iranian coast under a coordinated agreement.
Reports indicate Iran has permitted selected safe passages for vessels not linked to the US or its allies. Several other ships from Greece, Turkey, and India have followed agreed routes through the Strait, while China is also reportedly pressing Iran to allow safe passage for crude oil and natural gas carriers.
The deployment highlights growing regional coordination to secure maritime energy routes amid heightened tensions in the Persian Gulf.
