Iran seeks release of 3 India-seized tankers: Iran has asked India to release its three tankers seized in February as part of talks seeking the safe passage of Indian‑flagged or India‑bound vessels out of the Gulf via the Strait of Hormuz, Reuters reported, citing three sources with knowledge of the matter.
Indian authorities seized the three Iran‑linked tankers near Indian waters alleging they had concealed or altered their identities and were involved in illegal ship‑to‑ship transfers at sea, the report added.
Iran also sought supplies of certain medicines, medical equipment
Tehran has also sought supplies of certain medicines and medical equipment, according to one of the sources, an Iranian official. Iran’s ambassador to New Delhi met Indian foreign ministry officials on Monday to discuss the issue, the source said.
India’s foreign ministry, the Iranian embassy in New Delhi, and Iran’s foreign ministry did not immediately respond to Reuters’ requests for comment.
Last month, India seized three US-sanctioned oil tankers linked to Iran and stepped up surveillance in its maritime zone to curb illicit trade, a source had told Reuters, confirming a post on X by Indian authorities earlier in February that had been deleted.
India aims to prevent its waters from being used for ship-to-ship transfers that obscure the origin of oil cargoes, the source with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters.
Jaishankar hails talks with Iran to open Strait of Hormuz
Days after Iran allowed India-flagged tankers to pass through the Strait of Hormuz amid escalating conflict in the Middle East, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has hailed direct discussions with Tehran as the most effective way to restart shipping through the vital oil chokepoint.
No ‘blanket arrangement’ with Iran for Indian vessels
EAM Jaishankar has clarified that India has not reached any “blanket arrangement” with Iran regarding the India-flagged vessels that recently passed through the Strait of Hormuz amid growing tensions in the Gulf region.
In an interview with the Financial Times, the Minister said, “every ship movement is an individual happening.” He also denied that Iran had received anything from India in exchange for allowing the vessels to pass through the chokepoint.
India’s diplomacy with Iran helped ease Hormuz pressure
Jaishankar told FT that negotiations between New Delhi and Tehran, which allowed for two Indian-flagged gas tankers to pass through the Strait on Saturday, were an example of what diplomacy could bring.
He was referring to the recent transit of two Indian-flagged liquefied petroleum gas carriers through the Strait as an example of progress through diplomatic engagement.
Two Indian vessels carrying LPG cross Strait of Hormuz safely
Two Indian-flagged vessels carrying LPG from the Gulf countries safely crossed the war-hit Strait of Hormuz early on Saturday morning, a senior Shipping Ministry official said.
LPG carriers Shivalik and Nanda Devi are now headed to Mundra and Kandla ports in Gujarat, Rajesh Kumar Sinha, Special Secretary in Ministry of Shipping, told a media briefing.
The vessels are carrying 92,700 tonne of LPG and are likely to dock at Indian ports on March 16/17, he said.
(With inputs from Reuters and Financial Times)
