- By Shubham Bajpai
- Sun, 19 Apr 2026 04:47 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
India has raised the issue of firing on two Indian vessels in the Strait of Hormuz by summoning the Iranian Ambassador, Dr Abdul Majid Hakeem Ilahi, a representative of Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has warned Tehran of consequences in response to such attacks in the future.
The two Indian vessels, Jag Arnav and Sanmar Herald, were targeted by the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) on Saturday while they were transiting the Hormuz. The incident took place amid confusion over the status of the key narrow waterway, following contradictory statements by the IRGC and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi within hours.
Araghchi had clarified that the Strait remained open for all commercial ships, but in less than a couple of hours, the IRGC announced it had shut in response to the continued US naval blockade.
'You gave me clearance, firing now': Indian vessel to IRGC
Meanwhile, a purported radio intercept of Sanmar Herald's interaction with the IRGC during the firing has surfaced. In the audio, the captain of the Indian vessel says, "Sepah Navy! Sepah Navy! This is a motor tanker, Sanmar Herald! You gave me clearance to go! My name is second on your list! You gave me clearance to go! You are firing now! Let me turn back!"
India has so far managed to get a way for its vessels since the war started due to its balanced approach to the war. However. The attack on Indian vessels has prompted New Delhi to issue a stern warning. As New Delhi has warned Tehran of consequences, there was no concrete measure suggested in the warning. This has raised questions as to what options India has in case of continued attacks on ships in Hormuz.
Diplomatic escalation: India's top priority would be to not get drawn into the conflict but maintain a steadfast approach to keep its interests secured. In line with that, the first step could be to put diplomatic pressure on already tense Iran. This could be done by recalling or downgrading its ambassador in Iran.
Freeze aid: Since the war started, Indians have significantly contributed money, gold, ornaments, antiques and other items as an aid to the people of Iran. During the time of crisis, India dispatched shipments of humanitarian aid to Iran that included at least 45 tonnes of medical supplies.
This was followed by nearly 40 tonnes of medical supplies procured from donations. Targeting Indian interests in the sea could cost Iran a huge chunk of humanitarian aid. The step is less likely to be taken as the aid goes to the people and not the Iranian state, but it can be used as a limited leverage
Naval escort: Indian Navy could dispatch escort missions to secure a safe transit for the vessels in convoy. This mission, if initiated, could be similar to anti-piracy missions that the Indian Navy conducted in the Red Sea between December 2023 and January 2024.
India also has options to put special forces on vulnerable vessels, along with deploying surveillance aircraft and drones. Although such a scenario could bring Indian forces in direct conflict with the Iranian forces, and therefore, it could be considered as a last resort under a limited escalation.
Oil pressure: India has been a big importer of Iranian crude oil before the United States imposed sanctions in 2019. For a brief time during the ongoing conflict, when the sanctions were lifted by the US to ensure the flow of oil into the global markets, India was the first to bid quickly for the already loaded oil on the Iranian coast. While India needs Iranian oil, Iran too needs India to export it.
Iranian crude is medium-to-heavy sour crude, which can not be processed in regular refineries. Only the Asian refineries like China, India, Japan, South Korea and others are capable of processing the Iranian crude.
While China continues to purchase 90 per cent of the crude, Iran needs other buyers too, as it is negotiating an end to sanctions with the US. Due to the refineries' limitations, India's role in the post-war oil trade remains significant for Iran.