<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:
"Times New Roman",serif">Prioritizing maritime safety and crew welfare over raw
energy economics, the Government of India has announced that it will suspend
all fresh commercial fuel-loading operations in the Persian Gulf until its
fleet of stranded vessels safely exits the region. The operational directive
comes amid severe geopolitical strains following the effective closure of the
critical chokepoint on February 28. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:
"Times New Roman",serif">The administrative freeze is a direct attempt to
insulate Indian merchant assets and seafarers from the ongoing disruptions,
with fresh voyages to the west of the strait remaining restricted until
regional conditions clear. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:
"Times New Roman",serif">Speaking at an official media briefing, Mukesh Mangal,
Additional Secretary at India's Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways,
stated that the federal government's immediate focus is entirely locked on
coordinating a risk-free transit corridor for its idled fleet. According to
ministry data, 13 Indian-flagged vessels alongside one Indian-owned merchant
ship remain stranded on the western side of the Strait of Hormuz. The shipping
ministry is working in close tandem with the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA),
confirming that any decision to greenlight fresh energy lifting schedules will
only be evaluated after the current vessels are clear of the chokepoint. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:
"Times New Roman",serif">The strategic blockade has severely altered India’s
domestic energy supply chains. Historically, the country has relied on the
Middle East via the Strait of Hormuz to source over 40 percent of its crude oil
imports and nearly 90 percent of its domestic cooking gas requirements. Since
the effective closure of the waterway, maritime traffic has slowed to a crawl,
with only 13 energy-carrying vessels predominantly hauling liquefied petroleum
gas (LPG) successfully navigating out of the corridor over the past several
weeks. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:
"Times New Roman",serif">The resulting logistics bottleneck has triggered one
of India's most significant LPG supply constraints in recent decades. While
public-sector oil marketing companies (OMCs) are actively working on sourcing
alternative supply corridors and rerouting cargo streams via neutral regional
transshipment hubs, the maritime desk is holding its ground on fleet safety. Government
advisors emphasized that while energy security remains vital, safeguarding the
physical security of domestic hull assets and their crews takes absolute
precedence before resuming routine commercial traffic through the Persian Gulf. <o:p></o:p></span></p>