Middle East War: Shivalik reaches India after crossing Strait of Hormuz; will LPG crisis end?

New Delhi: Amidst the ongoing conflict in West Asia, the Indian vessel Shivalik has successfully exited the Strait of Hormuz and arrived at Mundra Port in Gujarat. It is carrying a substantial cargo of LPG. Notably, Iran had granted permission for two Indian vessels—the Shivalik and the Nanda Devi—to depart from the Strait of Hormuz. The Ministry of Shipping had previously announced that one of these two vessels was expected to reach India on March 16, while the other was scheduled to arrive on March 17.

What did Ministry of Petroleum say?

Amidst reports of an LPG shortage in the country, the Ministry of Petroleum issued a statement assuring the public that adequate reserves of LPG are available domestically, and that additional tankers are expected to arrive in India shortly. Providing further details on the matter, Rajesh Kumar Sinha, Special Secretary at the Ministry of Shipping, stated, "All Indian seafarers currently in the Persian Gulf are safe; there are 24 Indian vessels present in the region. Of these, two LPG tankers—the *Shivalik* and the *Nanda Devi*—safely transited the Strait of Hormuz late last night and are now en route to India."

He further noted, "These two vessels are carrying approximately 92,700 metric tonnes of LPG and are heading toward the ports of Mundra and Kandla, where they are expected to arrive on March 16 and 17, respectively." He added, "Consequently, there are now 22 Indian vessels remaining in the Persian Gulf, with a total of 611 seafarers on board."

What did  S. Jaishankar say?

Earlier, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar had also stated that direct dialogue with Iran remains the most effective approach for resuming maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz. He emphasized that India is actively striving to safeguard its energy security amidst the escalating tensions in West Asia. While he denied that any formal agreement has currently been reached with Iran regarding this issue, he noted that discussions are progressing on a case-by-case basis. The recent safe passage of the *Shivalik* and *Nanda Devi* vessels stands as a tangible outcome of these diplomatic efforts. The External Affairs Minister stated that India is currently making efforts to safely evacuate the remaining 22 vessels from the Strait of Hormuz; these ships are expected to arrive in India shortly.

Will the LPG Crisis End?

The vessels—including the *Shivalik*, which has already arrived in India, and the *Nandadevi*, which is currently en route—collectively carry approximately 97,700 metric tonnes of LPG. According to experts, this quantity is sufficient to fill over 6 million cylinders used for domestic consumption. Furthermore, India's refineries are operating at peak capacity, resulting in an increase of approximately 28 percent in the country's LPG production. Additional vessels are expected to arrive in India in the near future. Given these factors, the current situation creates a satisfactory environment for maintaining a smooth and uninterrupted supply of LPG across the entire country.

The Ministry of Petroleum has also emphasized that India possesses adequate reserves of both LPG and petrol; nevertheless, in light of potential future energy crises, the government is taking appropriate precautionary measures. Now that the arrival of vessels has commenced, the overall situation is steadily returning to normalcy.