Middle East Conflict: India invited for talks on Strait of Hormuz as Britain tries to end Iran war

New Delhi: Due to the US-Iran conflict, the Strait of Hormuz has remained closed for nearly a month. Iran is raining missiles upon vessels attempting to traverse the waterway without permission, sinking them to the ocean floor. Nations across the globe are deeply concerned about how to facilitate the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz in order to alleviate the looming energy crisis.

Amidst this situation, Britain has convened an international-level meeting to address the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, inviting representatives from various countries to participate. India has also received an invitation to this meeting, and Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri is attending on behalf of the Central Government.

What did Ministry of External Affairs say?

Confirming details regarding this crucial meeting focused on the Strait of Hormuz, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated, "Britain has invited several countries, including India, for discussions. The Foreign Secretary is participating in this meeting." Consequently, questions are being raised as to whether this meeting will yield a successful outcome and if a consensus can be reached regarding the reopening of the Strait. If the Strait of Hormuz is successfully reopened, the global energy crisis would be significantly alleviated. Historically, 20 percent of the world's crude oil shipments passed through this very route.

What step has Britain taken?

Britain is hosting a meeting on Thursday with the objective of forming a coalition of nations to deliberate on strategies for reopening the Strait of Hormuz. This initiative follows a statement by US President Donald Trump, in which he asserted that ensuring the security of this vital waterway is the responsibility of other nations. British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper is presiding over this virtual meeting. Approximately 35 countries—including India, France, Germany, Italy, Canada, and the United Arab Emirates—are participating in the meeting, the aim of which is to discuss methods for restoring freedom of navigation in the region. The United States will not be participating in this meeting.

Since the very onset of the conflict, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has consistently refused to drag his country into the fighting. He has maintained that this is not Britain's war and that becoming involved would run counter to British national interests. In the early days of the conflict, Starmer had also rejected U.S. requests to use UK military bases to launch attacks on Iran. This stance subsequently shifted, and since then, Britain has permitted the U.S. to utilize certain military bases for defensive strikes against Iran. However, Starmer continues to emphasize that Britain is not at war.