West Asia, April 20: The incident of firing on Indian-flagged ships in the Strait of Hormuz has sparked serious international debate, following which the Indian government has immediately taken strong diplomatic action.
India has summoned Iranian Ambassador Mohammad Fathali over the incident. It has also lodged a formal protest at the embassy.
Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri spoke to Mohammad Fathali and made it clear that the safety of Indian ships is a major issue and any unrest in the Strait of Hormuz, which is one of the most sensitive and important oil shipping routes globally, will have repercussions on many countries, including India.
It is learnt that the route is now a danger zone in the backdrop of the ongoing conflict in West Asia, and he demanded immediate security assurances for Indian ships.
Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said that the firing on two Indian ships is a very serious incident.
At the same time, he has appealed to Iran to resume the safe passage of Indian ships through this route at the earliest.
Earlier, India recalled Iran’s cooperation in the safety of Indian ships in this same Hormuz route and said that it expects the same kind of cooperation.
It is learnt that the Iranian ambassador has assured that he will convey India’s positions in this regard to his government immediately.
Two Indian-flagged ships were fired upon while sailing in the waters off the northeast coast of Oman. Although there was no loss of life or damage to the ships in the attack, the ships had to return due to security reasons.
The Strait of Hormuz is a major oil shipping route on a global scale, and a large amount of the world’s energy supply passes through this route. Since India meets most of its energy needs through this route, any unrest here will directly affect the country’s energy security and economic stability.
The current situation is becoming more serious due to the ongoing war in the Middle East. As a result of this conflict, the Strait of Hormuz has become a “choking point”, increasing uncertainty over shipping traffic. This has also increased the possibility of fluctuations in oil prices in global markets.
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump has also warned Iran not to use the Strait of Hormuz as a tool of pressure.
Alleging that there are fluctuations in Iran’s position, he said that attempts to close or control the sea route are unacceptable at the global level.
However, he also expressed the hope that talks with Iran are underway and that there will be clarity soon on how the situation will develop.