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Since the spark of war between Iran and America-Israel on February 28, the ‘Strait of Hormuz’ has become the most dangerous and sensitive sea route in the world. Although the ceasefire came into effect on April 9, there is still a ban on the movement of ships on this route. About 20 percent of the world’s crude oil and LPG is supplied through this narrow route between Oman and Iran. Amidst the global energy crisis, India is working on a highly confidential and strategic ‘secret plan’ to get its ships and crew members out of this danger zone safely.
13 Indian ships on the verge of death, big challenge before the government
Opesh Kumar Sharma, Director of Shipping, Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways has made a shocking revelation in an important briefing. He told that at present 13 big Indian commercial ships are stranded in the troubled area of the Strait of Hormuz. These ships include 1 LPG tanker, 5 crude oil tankers, 1 chemical tanker, 3 container ships, 2 bulk carriers and 1 dredger. The biggest priority of the Government of India at this time is to safely evacuate hundreds of Indian citizens and goods worth billions of rupees aboard these ships.
What is that ‘secret plan’ of India, which the officials are hesitant in disclosing?
When top officials of the ministry were asked what kind of coordination the Indian government is making with Iran to deal with this crisis, they clearly refused to tell its entire process citing security reasons. If sources are to be believed, India is holding back-channel talks with Iran under a highly confidential diplomatic mission. Opesh Kumar Sharma said that the coordination of this entire operation is being handled by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). The priority of which ship will be taken out of the safe zone first is being decided in collaboration with the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas (MOPNG) and the Ministry of Fertilizers.
Big success achieved at midnight, India increases ‘Nisos Keros’ by taking 2.70 lakh tonnes of crude oil
The effect of this secret and coordinated diplomatic effort of India is now visible on the ground. According to the latest reports, on the intervening night of May 25-26, the giant crude oil tanker ‘Nisos Keros’ carrying about 2,70,000 metric tons of crude oil successfully managed to cross the Strait of Hormuz. This ship will reach Visakhapatnam Port in Andhra Pradesh by 3 June 2026. The Ministry of External Affairs has confirmed that so far 14 Indian ships have crossed this danger zone, while 11 ships are still present in the Persian Gulf area, efforts are on to evacuate them.
Public ship tracking apps threatening the safety of ships?
On the question of threat to the safety of ships due to live ship tracking data available in the public domain, the officer made a practical point. He said, “These are all commercial apps, whose subscription can be taken by anyone. Who will use this public data and how, it completely depends on the intentions of the other person.” However, he also assured that at present this live data is only helping the government to track the moment-to-moment location of its ships and ensure their safety.
The world raised its hands, but India’s maritime trade continues despite playing with dangers.
After the horrific attacks by America and Israel on February 28, Iran, enraged, retaliated and started targeting the ships passing through this sea route. Due to geographical location, Iran has tremendous military control over this entire route. Due to this fear, the world’s leading shipping companies have completely withdrawn their steps from this route. Despite this, India did not lose courage and did not compromise on its energy security. Amidst this huge tension and danger, many brave Indian ships like ‘Shivalik’, ‘Nanda Devi’, ‘Jag Ladki’, ‘Pine Gas’, ‘Jag Vasant’, ‘BW Tyre’ and ‘Green Saanvi’ have set an example by successfully crossing this waterway which has become a heap of gunpowder.
