Reports of Iran allowing Indian ships through Strait of Hormuz ‘premature’

NEW DELHI : The External Affairs Ministry on Thursday (March 12, 2026) said it is rather “premature” to discuss reports about India receiving permission for ships to cross the Strait of Hormuz.“External Affairs Minister and Foreign Minister of Iran have had three conversations in the last few days. The last one discussed issues pertaining to safety of shipping and India’s energy security. Beyond that, it would be premature for me to say anything,” said Randhir Jaiswal, official spokesperson of the Ministry.

As oil tankers and cargo ships were attacked by suicide boats, drones and missiles, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar spoke with his Iranian counterpart Seyed Abbas Araghchi on Tuesday (March 10, 2026).

“Iran’s Foreign Minister reminded that the insecure situation and problems arising for shipping in the Persian Gulf are a result of the aggressive and destabilizing actions of the United States, and the international community must hold the U.S. accountable for this situation,” the Iranian Foreign Ministry had said after a call.

Cargo ships continued to be targeted in the strait even as India and Iran remained connected at the ministerial level. A Thai-flagged ship, Mayuree Naree, was hit near the Iraqi port of Basra on Wednesday that led to the death of one Indian sailor. The ship was headed for Kandla port in Gujarat.

Following the incident, the External Affairs Ministry said, “India deplores the fact that commercial shipping is being made a target of military attacks in the ongoing conflict in West Asia. Precious lives, including of Indian citizens, have already been lost in multiple such attacks in the earlier phase of this conflict and the intensity and lethality of the attacks only seems to be increasing.”

India has been expressing concern about the targeting of merchant navy ships that are stuck both inside the Gulf as well as in the Gulf of Oman near the Strait of Hormuz. Government sources have been maintaining that Indian sailors make for a large number of sailors in such ships and Iran’s attacks endanger their lives.

Already, at least four Indian sailors have been killed in attacks since the beginning of the war on February 28. The first ship that was hit was MT Sky Light, followed by hits on MT Vyom (off the coast of Oman) and LCT ALYH. Apart from that, at least 20 other Indian sailors have been injured in multiple attacks on ships, sources have said.

While the injured sailors are receiving treatment in Oman, the families of the dead sailors are facing uncertainty. Family members of Ashish Kumar, the captain of MT Sky Light who was known to have died in the attack, have refused to believe in the government’s findings.

Speaking to The Hindu, they have sought further confirmation in the form of DNA tests from the physical remains in Oman before accepting the news of his death. Sources have said that DNA test results will be shared after Oman completes certain legal procedures that are taking time because of the uncertainty due to the conflict.