Indian Navy declares Strait of Hormuz maritime zone of interest — newspaper

NEW DELHI, April 24. /TASS/. The Indian Navy has declared the Strait of Hormuz an area of primary interest amid the ongoing blockade and the resulting rise in oil prices, The Times of India reported. According to the newspaper, the Indian Navy’s new strategy envisages active operations in the Indian and Pacific Oceans, including the Strait of Hormuz, as well as in many other important maritime areas that have a significant impact on global trade and India’s energy security. These include the Cape of Good Hope, the Suez Canal, the Persian Gulf, the Red Sea, the Sunda, Malacca, and Singapore Straits, as well as several other regions with which India has trade and economic interests and through which international shipping routes pass. "As India’s economic and strategic engagements across oceans expand, the range and intensity of external influences impacting national interests are expected to grow significantly in the coming years, requiring the Indian Navy to operate across an expanding geographical canvas. India’s maritime leverage, infrastructure, and sea-based activities being the principal drivers for its economic growth and prosperity," the newspaper quoted an excerpt from the Indian Navy’s strategic blueprint. As Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh previously announced, the Indian Navy is providing safe escort for Indian tankers through the Strait of Hormuz during the military conflict in the Middle East. India is closely monitoring developments in this region and is prepared for any situation, he noted. The United States and Israel launched a military operation against Iran on February 28. Major Iranian cities, including Tehran, were struck. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps announced a retaliatory operation, targeting sites in Israel. US military bases in Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE were also hit. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and some other key Iranian leaders were killed in the joint US-Israeli attack. Iranian authorities also decided to close the Strait of Hormuz to vessels associated with the United States, Israel, and countries that supported aggression against the Islamic Republic. During the conflict, several tankers were attacked for passing through the strait without Tehran's permission. On March 25, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi announced that Iran had allowed friendly countries, including Russia, India, Iraq, China, and Pakistan, to pass through the Strait of Hormuz. Since then, 10 Indian tankers have been able to pass through the Strait of Hormuz into the Arabian Sea, and 14 Indian-flagged vessels are currently in the strait. The US military began a naval blockade of Iran on April 13.