A large Indian crude oil tanker carrying about two million barrels of Iraqi oil was on Saturday fired upon by the Iran Navy north of Oman, people aware of the matter said, shortly after reports came in that two Indian ships were forced to turn back from the Strait of Hormuz.
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Two vessels — Jag Arnav and Sanmar Herald — were involved in the incident, with only one coming under direct attack. According to initial reports, Jag Arnav was fired upon, raising fresh concerns over maritime security in the region, while Sanmar Herald, which was in the vicinity, was not targeted and remained unharmed.
The Indian Navy is trying to ascertain details of the incident as there is no Indian Navy ship in the Straits of Hormuz, they added. India has two destroyers, one frigate and one tanker in the Gulf of Oman.
The officials said that India is taking the firing by Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps seriously and the country stands for open and free navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. They said that there was another Indian crude oil tanker next to the one that took fire, but it had not been in the incident.
The Strait of Hormuz, located between Iran and Oman, is one of the world’s most vital oil transit corridors, through which 20% share of global crude shipments passes.
India is among the countries with the highest number of vessels passing through the strait, reflecting its dependence on energy imports from the Gulf region.
Iran has, amid the war with the US, listed India among friendly nations whose ships it is allowing to cross through the vital strait while keeping others halted with threats of drone-missile attack.
