India Participates in UK-Organized Meeting to Reopen Strait of Hormuz

Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri participated in a virtual meeting that the United Kingdom (UK) convened on Thursday to explore ways to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping route that has been choked off by the US-Israeli war against Iran. More than 60 countries participated in the meeting.In his remarks at the meeting, Misri noted the importance of the principles of navigation and unimpeded transit through international waterways. He spoke of the impact of the crisis on India's energy security and the fact that India remains the only country to have lost mariners in attacks on merchant shipping in the Gulf.A little earlier, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said at the ministry’s weekly media briefing here that six Indian-flagged ships have transited the Strait of Hormuz over the past month. He said there has been no discussion between India and Iran regarding payments for transiting Indian-flagged ships through the crucial shipping lane. India continues to be in touch with Iran on ensuring unimpeded transit of its ships, he said.Jaiswal said the government was closely following all developments related to the West Asia conflict, including Bahrain’s effort to secure a UN resolution to authorise “all necessary means” to protect commercial shipping in and around the Strait of Hormuz. Bahrain has taken over the presidency of the 15-member UN Security Council for April.Jaiswal said India continued to honour its obligations towards the energy needs of its neighbours. India was supplying oil to Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, and Sri Lanka. The Maldives has also sought fuel supplies from India.Also ReadGovt permits C3, C4 allocation for pharma, chemicals, and food sectorsMore measures on anvil to help exporters tackle West Asia crisis: GoyalMedtech, pharma welcome duty relief, seek GST cuts on key inputspremiumAgro-chemical sector sees input costs falling 8-9% after customs duty cutWest Asia crisis: More measures on anvil to support exporters, says Goyal“The government of Maldives has also reached out to us for supply of petroleum products both on short-term and long-term basis. Maldives’ request is being examined keeping in mind our own availability and our own needs,” Jaiswal said. Maldives sources most of its fuel from Oman. Jaiswal said India was also discussing the current energy situation with Mauritius and Seychelles. “We have not received any request from them as yet,” he said.As for the meeting that the UK convened on the blockage of the Strait of Hormuz, the US was not among the countries attending the meeting.British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the virtual meeting chaired by Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper "will assess all viable diplomatic and political measures we can take to restore freedom of navigation, guarantee the safety of trapped ships and seafarers and to resume the movement of vital commodities."The UK, France, Germany, Italy, Canada, Japan and the United Arab Emirates, among others, have signed a statement demanding Iran stop its attempts to block the strait and pledging to "contribute to appropriate efforts to ensure safe passage" through the waterway. Thursday's meeting was considered a first step, to be followed by "working-level meetings" of officials to hammer out details. Starmer said resuming shipping "will not be easy," and would require "a united front of military strength and diplomatic activity" alongside partnership with the maritime industry.