The development follows a flurry of talks—led by the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister—that helped clear the passage for two tankers carrying 92,712 tonne of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) through the 34-km long corridor.
Rakesh Kumar Sinha, Special Secretary at the Shipping Ministry, said on Saturday that six tankers carrying LPG and a tanker loaded with LNG are in the west of SoH awaiting safe transit.
Two Indian-flagged LPG carriers, Shivalik and Nanda Devi, already crossed the SoH early Saturday and are scheduled for Mundra Port and Kandla Port on March 16 and March 17, respectively. Both are carrying roughly 46,000 tonnes each LPG.
It is likely that the other six LPG carriers are carrying the same volume, bringing the cumulative tonnage to around 2.76 lakh tonne. India’s average monthly LPG consumption stood at 2.81 mt during 11M FY26.
Commenting on India’s efforts, Ministry of external affairs Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said “India has remained in close contact with key stakeholders, including GCC countries, Iran, the US and Israel at political and diplomatic levels. The Prime Minister, External Affairs Minister and Indian Missions have been actively engaging with counterparts to underline India’s priorities, particularly energy security and safe maritime transit.”
Apart from Shivalik and Nanda Devi, several other Indian-bound vessels remain on standby in the Gulf region and efforts are ongoing to ensure safe and uninterrupted passage, he added.
Four tankers carrying crude oil, three container ships and two bulk carriers also await safe passage through the world’s most critical energy choke point, Sinha said.
Published on March 14, 2026