Two liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) vessels that are headed for India have been allowed by Iran to transit through the Strait of Hormuz, offering a temporary relief for India from the possible cooking gas crisis due to the ongoing violence and unrest in West Asia.

The vessels are Shivalik and Nanda Devi, both owned by India’s government and operated by the Shipping Corporation of India (SCI). 

Frankly, today they sound like the two horsemen that avoided a crisis in the country.

The vessels are carrying an estimated 92,000 metric tonnes of liquefied petroleum gas to their destination ports in western India.

Rajesh Kumar Sinha, Special Secretary of India’s Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways, stated that the two vessels were able to transit successfully through the narrow straits of the Strait of Hormuz. “They crossed the Strait of Hormuz early morning safely and are en route to India,” Sinha stated at a media conference in New Delhi.

According to officials, the two vessels are expected to reach Mundra Port and the Kandla Port on March 16 and 17.

Iran’s Allowances for Maritime Traffic 

Iran allowing the two LPG vessels to pass is a rare exception, as most commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has been restricted due to the ongoing conflict.

Due to the military action on Iran by both the US and Israel, commercial movement through the Strait of Hormuz now is largely at a standstill. This event has created uncertainty within the global energy marketplace.

The strait, which is situated between Iran and Oman, is one of the most important maritime energy chokepoints in the world. About one-fifth of global oil and LNG typically travels through the narrow waterway.

In addition to having declared that Iran will obstruct cargo bound for the US or any Allied country, the country did grant an exception to Indian shipping by means of an agreement between India and Iran.

Bhaichara on top! 

Accchaa, princess treatment for India? 

Iranian Ambassador, Mohammad Fathali, has confirmed to India that as an exception, certain vessels from India will be allowed to cross the Strait of Hormuz. 

The cargo of these two LPG carriers is estimated to contain approximately 92,000 metric tonnes of cooking gas (46,000 metric tonnes/tanker).

The representative indicated that the cargo from the LPG vessels will temporarily stabilize India’s LPG availability, thereby reducing the threat of supply disruptions resulting from blocked shipping activity in West Asia.

According to Reuters, after the unloading of the cargo, it should provide about 2 days of supply to India.

But what about the jeene ke hain chaar din? 

Baaki dino ka kya? 

Don’t worry India! Domestic production increased by 30%

LPG production domestically has peaked as a government response to alleviating the problems posed by the energy crisis.

According to officials, India has experienced a 30+% increase in domestic LPG production; this figure has accounted for approximately 10% of national daily LPG usage.

India’s existing supply of domestic natural gas is significantly reliant on foreign imports of LPG. This dependency is especially dominant within households as one potential use of LPG is cooking.

India used approximately 33.15 million metric tons of LPG in the last year; approximately 60% of that total amount supplied via foreign trade.

Approximately 90% of those foreign imports typically originate from countries located in the Middle East, making policymakers even more concerned about the associated supply disruptions in the Persian Gulf.

As tensions mounted in the region, the Government of India responded quickly to help shield consumers from experiencing supply shortages.

First, the government reduced supplies of LPG intended for industrial use; this allowed the remainder of LPG supplies to only be used to fulfil residential needs, therefore preventing a potential cooking gas shortage.

Governmental officials are also advising consumers not to engage in panic buying and to utilize pipeline natural gas (PNG) systems to supply their natural gas needs whenever possible. 

There are over 333 million households connected to LPG; the results highlight the magnitude of the current supply shortfall associated with domestic and foreign sources of supply for LPG.

Dozens of Indian Ships Await a Passage Through the Strait

Although two LPG carriers have successfully crossed, many more Indian ships are still trapped in the area of the conflict.

Currently, officials report that there are 24 Indian-flagged ships operating in the Persian Gulf, however, a number of them are still waiting close to the Strait of Hormuz for clearance to cross.

Many people have said that there are 22 vessels on standby in the western part of the strait to carry energy and goods.

This includes:

• six LPG carriers

• one natural gas carrier

• four crude oil carriers

• one chemical carrier

The remaining vessels include container vessels, bulk cargo vessels, and other specialty vessels.

The total number of crew members aboard these ships awaiting new instructions is estimated to be 611 people.

Ships did THIS to avoid being tracked

The level of tension in this part of the world remains extremely high with security risks for commercial ships continuing at an unprecedented high level.

According to sources, as reported by Channel NewsAsia, the LPG tanker Shivalik crossed the strait with an escort from the Indian navy, due to the fear of some attacks on merchant vessels.

Some of the vessels that have attempted to transit the strait by passing through it during the time of conflict were reported to have turned off their AIS (Automatic Identification System), in order to hide their identity by using a dark transit method.

Marine tracking technology tracked that Nanda Devi transited through the strait in daylight with her AIS signal still on. The last position reported by MarineTraffic for Nanda Devi was at the entrance of the Strait of Hormuz in Iranian waters, after which she continued onto India.

Jai Mata Di! 

Will India now diversify its energy sources? 

The crisis had forced India to reconsider heavy dependence on the Middle East for LPG imports. According to officials, New Delhi is currently examining alternative sources of supply from the United States, Canada, Nigeria, Malaysia and Singapore.

The USA is currently the number one LPG exporter globally, exporting approximately 60 million tonnes yearly and oh yes, it is significantly higher than UAE, Qatar and Canada.

India had already undertaken steps to diversify supply before this crisis. In November 2025, Indian oil companies committed to one-year agreements to import 2.2 million tonnes of LPG from the US Gulf Coast for 2026, representing around 10% of the country’s overall LPG imports.

However, shipments from the USA require much longer to reach India than shipments from the Middle East with most taking roughly two months to complete a return voyage.

Bhaichara on top with Iran 

India is engaging diplomatically to assist in the safe transportation of energy shipments.

Narendra Modi, India’s Prime Minister, spoke with Iran’s President, Masoud Pezeshkian about the movement of energy via sea and the transport of energy products via the Gulf.

The fact that shortly after this discussion, the two Indian LPG vessels successfully passed through Iran’s territorial waters suggests that diplomatic contact may have secured their passage.

As we said, bhaichara is always on top.