Indian Navy deploys two warship task forces to escort tankers after crossing Hormuz

The Indian Navy has deployed two task forces of warships to assist merchant vessels and energy tankers transiting the Strait of Hormuz, according to news agency ANI. The warships are there to help ensure the safe passage of vessels carrying crude oil and liquefied gas to India after crossing the strait.

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"All possible assistance and support are being provided to the vessels which are escorted by the Indian Navy warships," the sources were quoted as saying by ANI.

The deployment comes as Iran has restricted the Strait of Hormuz - a critical shipping route for global energy supplies.

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On Monday, the first Indian vessel, Shivalik, carrying LPG, arrived at Mundra Port. Two additional vessels are expected to reach Indian ports on Tuesday. Currently, 22 India-flagged vessels carrying 611 Indian seafarers are operating in the Persian Gulf, many of them oil and gas tankers. In addition to the Indian-flagged ships, several foreign-flagged vessels carrying cargo bound for India are also believed to be stuck in the area.

Tehran is allowing only selected tankers to pass through Hormuz, including shipments linked to countries such as China and India.

US President Donald Trump has called on allies - including France, China, Japan, South Korea, and Britain - to deploy warships to help secure the waterway and restore shipping flows. Trump said the United States was in discussions with about seven countries about forming a coalition to reopen the route, but did not identify the countries involved or indicate when such a mission might begin.

India, however, said it has not held bilateral talks with Washington on joining such an effort. "We are aware of this particular matter being discussed by several countries. We have not yet discussed it in a bilateral setting," Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said on Monday.

Responding to questions about whether India had offered anything to Iran in return for allowing Indian vessels to cross the strait, Jaiswal rejected the suggestion. "There is a history of engagement in dealing with each other between India and Iran. That has been the basis of our engagement, and it is not an exchange issue," he said.