The LPG tanker Jag Vasant has docked at Vadinar port in Gujarat, marking a significant breakthrough just days after navigating the volatile Strait of Hormuz. Laden with 47,600 metric tons of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), the vessel had been stranded for approximately 23 days in the strait, which Iran has effectively sealed off amid its month-long military strikes against neighbouring states.

This arrival offers much-needed respite for India, where the central government has been working to quell public anxieties over potential LPG shortages. The tanker forms part of a convoy of vessels caught in the Hormuz choke point, a vital artery linking Gulf oil and gas producers to global markets.

A second vessel, the LPG tanker Pine Gas carrying 45,000 metric tons, is en route to New Mangalore Port. Together, these two ships will inject over 92,000 metric tons into India's LPG reserves—equivalent to roughly one day's national cooking gas consumption. All 60 seafarers aboard remain safe and accounted for.

In the past ten days alone, two other large LPG tankers have successfully reached Indian shores after transiting the strait. Prior to Jag Vasant, the vessels Shivalik and Nanda Devi berthed at Kandla port, while MT Apollo Ocean delivered 16,000 metric tons to New Mangalore on Thursday.

The Ministry of Shipping reports that 20 Indian-flagged vessels are still marooned in the Strait of Hormuz due to the escalating Middle East conflict. Among them are five major LPG tankers holding a combined 2,30,000 metric tons of cargo. One additional Indian tanker is slated for loading in the next one or two days before heading home.

India relies on imports for about 60 per cent of its LPG needs, with 90 per cent of those shipments historically routed through the strait. This dependence underscores the nation's exposure to disruptions in the Persian Gulf, where geopolitical tensions have now translated into direct threats to energy supply chains.

The Ministry of Petroleum acknowledges that the current crisis is straining LPG supplies, though no distributor-level shortages have surfaced. Officials urge citizens to trust verified sources and dismiss rumours that could spark panic buying.

The government's stockpile provides a buffer: approximately 60 days of crude oil reserves and a full month's worth of LPG. Such assurances counter claims of imminent scarcity, which authorities label as a "deliberate misinformation campaign" designed to destabilise public confidence.

From a strategic standpoint, the Hormuz impasse highlights Iran's leverage over global energy flows. As a key chokepoint handling one-fifth of the world's oil, its partial closure amplifies risks for import-dependent economies like India, potentially inflating domestic fuel prices and complicating household energy access.

Indian authorities have activated contingency measures, including diversified routing via alternative paths like the Bab el-Mandeb Strait or increased domestic production. Yet, the reliance on Gulf suppliers—primarily from Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE—remains a persistent vulnerability in national energy security planning.

The safe passage of these tankers also reflects diplomatic efforts, possibly involving quiet negotiations with regional powers or enhanced naval escorts through the International Maritime Security Construct. India's navy has ramped up patrols in the Arabian Sea to safeguard its flagged vessels.

Looking ahead, the impending loading of another tanker signals cautious optimism, but the fate of the remaining 20 ships hangs in the balance. Prolonged closure could force rationing or price hikes, testing the resilience of India's subsidised LPG distribution under the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana scheme.

This episode serves as a stark reminder of the interplay between regional conflicts and energy geopolitics. For India, accelerating indigenous refining capacity and LNG infrastructure emerges as an urgent imperative to mitigate such risks in future flare-ups.

Agencies