Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri on Saturday (April 18, 2026) met Iran’s ambassador to India, Mohammad Fathali, and conveyed India’s “deep concern” after two India-bound energy-carrying vessels were prevented from transiting the Strait of Hormuz by Iranian naval guards.
This is the first instance of India-bound energy carriers being prevented by the naval units of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) of Iran during the ongoing fortnight-long ceasefire in the U.S.-Iran conflict, which came into effect on April 8. A day earlier, Iran’s Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi had said that the Strait of Hormuz was “completely open” for the remaining period of the ceasefire.
Eight India-bound ships return after attempting to cross Strait of Hormuz
“During the meeting, the Foreign Secretary conveyed India’s deep concern at the shooting incident earlier today (Saturday) involving two Indian-flagged ships in the Strait of Hormuz. He noted the importance that India attached to the safety of merchant shipping and mariners and recalled that Iran had earlier facilitated the safe passage of several ships bound for India,” the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said, adding Mr. Misri “urged the Ambassador to convey India’s views to the authorities in Iran and resume at the earliest the process of facilitating India-bound ships across the Strait.”
