Kathmandu — India has resumed access to the Strait of Hormuz for gas imports after initiating diplomatic communication with Iran following the reported death of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
According to available reports, Khamenei and several senior Iranian military and political officials were killed in a joint U.S. and Israeli attack on February 28. The Government of India did not issue any public response immediately after the incident.
Strait of Hormuz Closure and Impact on India
Two days after the attack, Iran announced the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a key maritime route through which about 25 percent of global crude oil and around 20 percent of natural gas is transported. The closure affected global energy supply and contributed to a rise in international oil prices.
India relies heavily on this route for importing cooking gas and crude oil. A large share of its gas supply passes through the Strait of Hormuz. While India maintains limited crude oil reserves, it does not store cooking gas for extended periods, increasing the risk of supply disruption.
Diplomatic Engagement Restores Gas Transit
On March 5, India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri visited the Iranian Embassy in New Delhi and signed the condolence register expressing sympathy over Khamenei’s death.
Following this, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar held a telephone conversation with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. Diplomatic communication continued after the contact.
According to Bloomberg, Iran later allowed two Indian vessels carrying gas to pass through the Strait of Hormuz about a week after the diplomatic engagement.
Separately, an Iranian naval vessel carrying 183 personnel arrived at Kochi, India. Another Iranian warship returning from a naval exercise was reportedly destroyed by U.S. forces near Sri Lanka on the same day. Iran requested permission to keep its vessels in Indian waters due to concerns over further attacks.
