NEW DELHI: Indian Navy warships have moved into the Gulf of Oman and are monitoring merchant traffic as tensions in West Asia continue to disrupt maritime movement near the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical energy corridors.
Tracking data and satellite imagery circulated Saturday by OSINT expert Damien Symon said that the Indian-flagged LPG tanker Shivalik is currently sailing with naval ships in the vicinity after passing through the strategic waterway.
“Three Indian Navy warships appear to have moved into the Gulf of Oman, likely to escort merchant vessels amid the tense security situation in the region. Ship-tracking data shows that the Indian-flagged LPG tanker Shivalik (IMO 9356892) is currently under escort,” he said in a post on X.
Sources in the Navy said Indian warships routinely remain deployed in the region as part of ongoing maritime security missions, including anti-piracy patrols and Operation Sankalp, under which the Navy maintains a presence to monitor sea lanes and assist commercial shipping when required.
Nonetheless, monitoring of vessel positions has been complicated by electronic interference reported in the surrounding waters.
The development comes as two LPG carriers, Shivalik and Nanda Devi, head toward India after successfully crossing the Strait of Hormuz, a route that had seen significant disruption over the past two weeks amid the regional conflict.
At their current sailing speed, the tankers are expected to arrive at Indian ports early next week, as per sources.
Their movement marks the first known transit of India-bound LPG cargo through the strait since tensions in the Persian Gulf escalated and shipping traffic slowed sharply.
The two tankers, both owned by the state-run Shipping Corporation of India and chartered by Indian Oil Corporation, are transporting nearly 85,000 metric tonnes of liquefied petroleum gas.
It has also been learnt that the ships’ passage followed diplomatic outreach between New Delhi and Tehran in recent days, though details of the discussions remain undisclosed.
Both tankers had loaded their cargo at Ras Laffan in Qatar, one of the world’s largest LPG export hubs.
The ongoing conflict has raised concerns in New Delhi, given India’s heavy reliance on imported LPG, with the majority of its supplies sourced from producers in the Gulf region.