Speaking to reporters in New Delhi, Iran’s envoy Mohammad Fathali said India remains a key partner for Tehran and suggested that Indian vessels would be able to cross the Strait safely despite the ongoing regional conflict.

“Yes, because India is our friend… we believe Iran and India share common interests in the region,” he said while responding to questions about whether Indian ships would be allowed through the waterway.  

Bhaichara on top ji! 

But on a serious note, there are many potential solutions to help reduce the existing maritime shipping crisis.

1. To Establish Clear Guidelines For Neutral Vessel Safe Passage

Iran’s characterization of India as a “friend” also refers to broader uncertainty for the entire global shipping sector right now.

As vessel operators do not know if they will be granted passage or face security issues, multiple vessels remain trapped in the vicinity of the Strait.

According to recent news articles, India has requested the safe passage of at least 20 vessels located around the Strait of Hormuz while regional authorities continue their efforts to coordinate safe transit.

Iran has allowed some vessels linked to India to transit through the Strait. Recently, two tanker vessels containing over 90,000 metric tonnes of LPG headed for India successfully transited through the Strait; therefore, some trade movements are still occurring regardless of the current conflict between the US and Iran.

However, many experts believe that to create an environment of stability, there must be guidelines established.

A clear safe passage policy for neutral vessels, particularly for vessels flagged from countries not currently engaged in armed conflict with either the US or Iran, would significantly lessen uncertainty. This safe passage policy could include:

• Specific shipping corridors

• Prior approval for cargo vessels

• Official advisories provided to shipping companies by maritime authority

If a defined safe passage policy were developed using the components above, it would provide shipping operators and traders confidence in continuing to conduct business as usual and would eliminate the current paralysis experienced in the maritime shipping market.

2. Providing Protection to Commercial Ships by Deploying International Naval Escorts To Ensure Safety and Security

One way to provide support and stabilize international shipments in the area is through the deployment of international naval escorts to accompany commercial vessels as they transit through this extremely dangerous, yet very important, region.

The Strait of Hormuz is often considered one of the most economically vital energy transit routes in the world today. A significant amount of the world’s oil passes through the extremely narrow waterways from the Arabian Gulf to the Arabian Sea.

When there is an increase in security threats in the region, shipping companies will either cease to ship their goods or will reroute their ships to longer routes causing delays to the delivery of goods and an increase in energy prices.

The shipping environment is becoming increasingly perilous for crews with reports indicating that thousands of Indian crew members are currently held up near the Iranian coast and in the Gulf as a result of attacks from drones, burning vessels, and ongoing military activity.

International naval escorts (similar in concept to the anti-piracy patrolling of the Gulf of Aden) would help mitigate incidents involving the attack of commercial vessels as well as protect against accidental confrontations.

The presence of these types of security arrangements would also help to renew and restore confidence amongst commercial shipping companies and commercial insurance companies who now regard transit through the Strait of Hormuz as an area of high risk.

3. Through Diplomatic Engagements to Create Peace in the Region

Diplomacy, beyond the enhancement of maritime security and protection of commercial vessels through naval escorts, may be the only other option to support and stabilize the crisis in the region.

India has already increased its diplomatic engagement with a variety of states in the Middle East. The new Indian government’s officials have released information which confirms that New Delhi is communicating with several nations in the Gulf region, like Iran, Israel, and the USA, to help secure safe trade routes and protect energy shipments.

Furthermore, India is striving to develop a broader international consensus through BRICS, a group of upcoming economies which now includes Brazil, Russia, China, South Africa and India. Currently, India serves as the BRICS chair and is looking at ways to bring together a common diplomatic response from all members about the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, thus exerting diplomatic pressure for restraint.

If India is able to achieve success in this area of diplomacy, it will help defuse tension across the region and keep open international channels of trade across the globe.

4. Preventing Geopolitical Pressure Tactics on the Strait of Hormuz

One of the most important actions that can be taken is to prevent the Strait of Hormuz from being utilized as a political bargaining tool inside the larger issue.

Maritime traffic transit through the Strait has dropped substantially over the past couple of weeks due to threats issued to maritime vessels transiting through the Strait of Hormuz and from incidents of violence committed against ships in that area.

The Strait of Hormuz has historically been one of the world’s most politically charged areas; this most recent increase in tensions in the region shows how quickly conflicts within regions can interfere with worldwide population distribution.

Iran’s commitment to safe passage for ships registered in India was a temporary boost for a country like India, which obtains most of its energy needs through energy shipments through the Persian Gulf.

However, this entire situation remains precarious; therefore, creating a safe maritime corridor, providing protection for commercial shipping, prompting diplomacy to take place, and preventing the Strait of Hormuz from being used as a tool of geopolitics will all be important factors in whether or not the crisis further escalates.

In the meantime, nations, shipping companies, and energy sectors are all keeping a close watch on the situation given how quickly developments in this narrow waterway could affect the world outside of the Middle East.

Many news organisations including Reuters are reporting that the situation in the coming weeks could ultimately determine whether the Strait of Hormuz will remain a viable and accessible route for global trade or become the centre of an incredibly disruptive geopolitical crisis.