India Urges Early Restoration Of Freedom Of Navigation Through Strait Of Hormuz

“An aspect of particular concern for India for its energy and economic security relates to commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. India has deplored the fact that commercial shipping was made a target of military attacks in this conflict,” Parvathaneni said.

India reiterated that targeting of commercial shipping and endangering innocent civilian crew members, or otherwise impeding the freedom of navigation and commerce in the Strait of Hormuz, are “unacceptable”.

Underscoring that international law in this regard must be fully respected, Parvathaneni said India strongly urges that safe and unimpeded freedom of navigation and global commerce through the Strait of Hormuz be restored at the earliest. He also voiced concern over the loss of the precious lives of Indian seafarers aboard ships during the course of the conflict.

Last month, the Ministry of External Affairs had said that eight Indian nationals have lost their lives while one remained missing in “various incidents” in West Asian region.

As the Strait of Hormuz, the crucial oil artery located between Oman and Iran connecting the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea, virtually closed due to the conflict, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres had said that when this crucial chokepoint is “strangled, the world’s poorest and most vulnerable cannot breathe.

UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD) has warned that the Strait of Hormuz, a central artery for global energy trade, has seen activity fall to a near halt. Ship transits dropped from around 130 per day in February to just six in March – a collapse of about 95%.

“The disruption is hitting a large share of global oil and gas supplies, with immediate consequences for production, trade and consumption worldwide. It is also spilling over into transport systems, including maritime routes, air cargo and port logistics,” UNCTAD has said.

The UN agency has warned that if the military escalation and disruptions persist, the suffering will extend far beyond the region, translating into widespread economic hardship.