The Indian-flagged oil tanker Jag Laadki has sailed safely through the Strait of Hormuz after departing Fujairah Port in the United Arab Emirates, becoming the fourth Indian vessel to leave the high-risk region without incident in recent days.
The tanker was loading about 80,800 tonnes of Murban crude oil at Fujairah when the port reportedly came under attack linked to the escalating conflict involving Iran. Despite the security situation, the vessel departed the port on March 15 and proceeded toward India without disruption.
The transit through the strategically important strait was completed safely, according to reports from Indian media.
Three other Indian-flagged vessels have recently crossed the area unharmed. The LPG carriers Shivalik and Nanda Devi departed the Gulf on March 14 carrying about 92,712 tonnes of liquefied petroleum gas and are heading toward India. Another tanker, Jag Prakash, loaded gasoline at Sohar Port in Oman and departed on March 13 bound for Tanzania.
Indian foreign minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar in an interview with the Financial Times said the recent safe transits were the result of direct diplomatic talks with Iran. He noted that dialogue with Tehran had already produced tangible results, citing the passage of MV Shivalik and MV Nanda Devi through the Strait of Hormuz as an example. According to the minister, negotiations are ongoing to ensure continued safe navigation for Indian-flagged vessels in the region, although he stressed that there is no formal blanket arrangement with Iran for all Indian ships.
