Two Indian tankers carrying LPG have crossed the Strait of Hormuz after Iran granted rare permission, addressing India's cooking gas shortage.
Two Indian-flagged tankers carrying liquefied petroleum gas have crossed the Strait of Hormuz after Tehran granted rare permission amid its blockade, reported Aljazeera.
Rajesh Kumar Sinha, special secretary at India's Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, stated that the vessels passed safely early Saturday and are en route to western Indian ports. This passage comes as India faces a critical shortage of cooking gas due to the ongoing war in Iran.
Iran's ambassador to India, Mohammad Fathali, confirmed that Tehran had allowed some Indian ships to transit the strait, although he did not specify the number of vessels permitted. The blockade has disrupted global energy supplies, with approximately one-fifth of oil and liquefied natural gas typically shipped through this route.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi mentioned that he discussed Gulf energy transit with Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian last week. In response to the crisis, India has invoked emergency powers to boost domestic LPG production, prioritizing supplies for 333 million households with connections by cutting industrial sales.
The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas announced that consumers with piped natural gas connections are now barred from retaining or refilling LPG cylinders. Additionally, government oil firms have been prohibited from issuing LPG connections or refills to households already linked to piped natural gas.
