- By Talibuddin Khan
- Thu, 02 Apr 2026 08:04 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
Hormuz Blockade: India on Thursday attended the 35-nation virtual meeting to discuss diplomatic ways to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, which has been under a blockade since the start of the Iran war on February 28. The meeting was chaired by UK Foreign Minister Yvette Cooper, which included representatives from India, France, Germany, Canada, the UAE and several other nations. India's foreign secretary, Vikram Misri, attended the meeting virtually.
"We are focusing on the diplomatic and international planning measures, including collective mobilisation of our full range of diplomatic and economic tools and pressures," Cooper said at the start of the meeting.
In the meeting, Misri highlighted India's stance, advocating for free and open commercial shipping. The Ministry of External Affairs, earlier in the day, said that India stands for free and open commercial shipping, and for maritime security in keeping with international law.
"We continue to call for ensuring safe and free navigation through the Strait of Hormuz as a matter of priority," MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said.
"We are in touch with Iran and other countries to see how best we can get unimpeded and safe transit for our ships which are carrying products including LPG and LNG. Through these conversations over last few days, six Indian-flagged vessels have been able to safely cross the Strait of Hormuz. We continue to be in touch with relevant parties on this matter," Jaiswal said.
The meeting came a day after UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Wednesday urged nations to meet and discuss the reopening of the Strait, which carries about a fifth of the world's total oil consumption.
The discussions were initiated after the US President Donald Trump, earlier this week, asked the countries to "get your own oil" and said that it was the responsibility of countries that rely on the waterway to ensure it was open. The Strait of Hormuz is one of the most important shipping routes globally, and was a freeway before Trump and Netanyahu initiated the joint US-Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28.
The reopening of the Strait of Hormuz has become a priority for the countries dependent on the Gulf oil and gas supply, with crude oil prices already reaching an all-time high, and disruptions continue in global energy supplies. The European nations are concerned about the impact of the rising cost of energy on the global economy have prompted them to try to form a coalition to defend their interests.
According to a report by Reuters, the discussions would focus on which countries were prepared to participate before military planners meet for talks next week. A key focus of the talks would be how to ensure shipowners could feel confident enough for vessels to resume travelling through the area and to bring down insurance premiums. There would also eventually need to be coordination with Iran to ensure that there will be security guarantees for ships.