The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has summoned Iran’s ambassador Dr Mohammad Fathali after an Indian-flagged tanker was shot down near Hormuz on Saturday, HT reported. The report said he had been summoned by India to lodge a formal protest against the incident.
On Saturday, an Indian oil tanker carrying about two million barrels of Iraqi crude came under fire from the Iranian navy north of Oman, people with knowledge of the matter told HT.
Shortly thereafter, news also came in – mentioning that two Indian ships had been forced to return from the Strait of Hormuz.
Which vessels were fired upon?
Two vessels, the Jag Arnav and the Sanmar Herald, were involved in the incident, with one under direct attack, according to a HT report. Initial reports said that Jag Arnav was shot, while Sanmar Herald – who was nearby – was not targeted and remained unharmed.
The latest incident has raised new concerns about maritime security around the Strait of Hormuz.
People in the know of the matter told HT that the Indian Navy is trying to ascertain the details of the incident as there are no Indian Navy ships in the region.
The Strait of Hormuz connects the oil-rich Persian Gulf to the Indian Ocean and lies between Iran and the Omani exclave of Musandam. It has emerged as a focal point in the ongoing conflict between the US and Israel against Iran after the Islamic Republic previously attacked ships in the critical waterway.
Why is Hormuz significant?
The Strait of Hormuz serves as a key route for about a quarter of the world’s liquefied natural gas exports and by sea from the Gulf countries to global markets.
Described by the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) as one of the world’s most important oil hubs, the strait handles about 20 million barrels of oil a day – roughly a fifth of global consumption – and about one fifth of global LNG trade, mainly from Qatar.
Iran has long used the Strait of Hormuz as a geopolitical pressure point. Naval operations in the area are managed by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), which oversees Iran’s asymmetric naval capabilities.
