India Sends Humanitarian Aid to Iran Amid Strait of Hormuz Tensions

As India awaits Iran’s help in allowing 20 of its merchant vessels carrying oil, natural gas, and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) to exit the Strait of Hormuz, New Delhi has sent humanitarian aid to Tehran, including lifesaving medicines, over the past few days.Officials said India has also tried to forge a consensus within the Brics grouping, which it chairs, on a resolution related to the West Asia conflict. However, consensus has eluded the group since the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Iran are members. Sources said India will be inviting all members of the grouping, including Iran, to attend the Brics Summit later this year in New Delhi.Iran has until now allowed India and a number of other “friendly nations” — including China, Russia, Iraq, and Pakistan — to use the Strait of Hormuz for commercial shipping, Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said, according to Iranian State TV. He said that ships linked to Iran's adversaries will not be allowed to transit through the strategic waterway.Officials in New Delhi pointed out that Tehran has not given a blanket clearance to Indian-flagged vessels to transit the Strait of Hormuz, but it is on a “case-to-case basis”. It has until now allowed four Indian-flagged vessels to exit the Strait of Hormuz. These vessels were carrying LPG and have since reached Indian ports. Officials in New Delhi rejected reports that any monetary transactions have been involved in Tehran allowing the safe exit of India’s vessels. They confirmed that humanitarian aid has indeed been dispatched to Tehran, symbolising the friendly and civilisational links between the two countries.At the weekly media briefing of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Friday, its spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said India continues to be in touch with countries in West Asia for the safe transit of its ships via the Strait of Hormuz.Also ReadWest Asia crisis: PM Modi interacts with CMs, bats for 'Team India' spiritCBSE introduces alternative evaluation for Class XII amid West Asia crisisSeven secretary panels to appraise iGoM on measures amid West Asia crisisFM Nirmala Sitharaman scotches rumours of lockdown like PakistanLuxury travel stays resilient despite global stress, says Leela CEOpremiumAfter initial hesitation in New Delhi’s response once the conflict in West Asia broke out on February 28, India has reached out to Iran with External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar having spoken to his Iranian counterpart half a dozen times. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also spoken to the Iranian President twice.Jaiswal said India has continued to help its immediate neighbours with their respective energy supplies while factoring in domestic needs. Officials in the Indian High Commission in Colombo told the Press Trust of India on Friday that a combined shipment of 38,000 tonnes of diesel and petrol is scheduled to arrive in Sri Lanka from India on Saturday. Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and Modi had had a telephonic conversation on March 24.On Thursday, Jaishankar raised the Global South’s concerns about energy challenges, fertiliser supplies, and food security at the G7 foreign ministers’ meeting in France. He also met his Canadian counterpart Anita Anand on the margins of the meeting, where the two discussed the impact of the West Asia conflict on global energy markets and supply chains.