India has received some welcome news from the Gulf. Iran has exempted commercial ships from four countries, including India and China, from transit restrictions in the Strait of Hormuz, according to a top Iranian official. The other two countries are Iraq and Qatar.
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What Iran Has Announced
The announcement came from Amir Hayat Moghadam, deputy chairman of Iran‘s parliamentary National Security and Foreign Policy Committee. He said ships from these countries pass freely and the Americans do not intercept them either. The exemption was not a gesture of goodwill alone. He said India’s passage was meant to allow medicine imports from India, while China’s was meant to secure Beijing’s political support.
Not Entirely Free
The exemption has conditions. Moghadam said Iran collects transit fees from Indian and Chinese vessels, while Qatari ships pass without charge. Iran also says the waterway is managed by a body it calls the Persian Gulf Strait Authority, and commercial traffic must follow its directives.
Why Hormuz Matters to India
The strait handles roughly 20 per cent of global energy supplies in normal times, and shipping has been severely disrupted since February 28, when the US and Israel launched joint attacks on Iran. West Asia is a major source of India’s energy procurement, so any easing helps refiners, shippers and fuel prices.
Will Energy Woes End?
Not yet. The exemption comes amid continued attacks on vessels trying to cross the waterway. An Indian sailor was killed in an attack on the commercial vessel MSV Al Jusufi near Limah in Oman on Monday evening. The Ministry of External Affairs said 23 Indian nationals, including 15 seafarers, have died in the conflict.
The picture has also shifted before. Earlier this year, a 50-day blockade was lifted, then Iran reimposed restrictions the next day and fired at some vessels. That history is why shipping firms and insurers will likely stay cautious.
