India is preparing to dispatch vessels through the Strait of Hormuz to load energy supplies from Middle Eastern partners, marking the first such move since the onset of the Iran conflict, Bloomberg reports.
The plans have been finalised, with ships expected to begin transiting the strait once the government grants final clearance, sources familiar with the matter said, declining to be identified due to the private nature of the discussions.
At the same time, Bloomberg noted that it remains unclear whether the passage of the tankers has been coordinated with the United States, which separately monitors the situation in the Strait of Hormuz and surrounding waters.
India has increased imports of oil and LPG from suppliers that bypass the Strait of Hormuz, though these alternatives typically come with higher costs and significantly longer transit times compared to the shorter routes from the Persian Gulf.
The world’s third-largest crude importer has also been relying heavily on Russian oil shipped by tanker, which continues to be exempt from US sanctions under waivers that have been periodically renewed over the past two months.
By Jeyhun Aghazada
