India confirms invite to join the UK-France-led initiative to secure Strait of Hormuz
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "India confirms invite to join the UK-France-led initiative to secure Strait of Hormuz")
A navy vessel is seen sailing in the Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway through which much of the world's oil and gas passes on March 1, 2026. Photograph: (AFP)
India confirmed that it was invited by the UK-France-led initiative to secure the Strait of Hormuz transit amid tensions.
The Indian government on Friday (Apr 18) confirmed that it has been invited to join the initiative led by the United Kingdom and France to secure the transit through the Strait of Hormuz, the world’s most crucial waterway amid the conflict in West Asia. During the weekly press briefing, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal confirmed the invitation.
“Yes, India has got the invitation to join the initiative. The meeting is scheduled to start in a few hours. We will inform you on India's role and will also inform you on what was discussed at the meeting,” Jaiswal said.
This comes as the international community ramps up efforts to ensure the security of the most strategic shipping route that accounts for nearly 20 per cent of the global oil trade. The Strait of Hormuz is the only maritime outlet for ports located in the Persian Gulf. Its blockade amid the war had significantly affected global energy supply, triggering a sharp rise in oil prices.
According to the Ministry of External Affairs, New Delhi has been asked to participate in efforts aimed at maintaining “uninterrupted navigation” through the Strait of Hormuz.
Meanwhile, Iran on Friday declared that the Strait of Hormuz is “completely open” for all commercial ships for the remaining period of the ceasefire, marking a significant easing in maritime restrictions in one of the world’s most strategic waterways.
In a post on X, Iran’s Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said, “In line with the ceasefire in Lebanon, the passage for all commercial vessels through Strait of Hormuz is declared completely open for the remaining period of the ceasefire.” he added that safe passage will only be applied on the coordinated route as already announced by the Ports and Maritime Organisation of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
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However, Tehran warned that it could once again close the passage if the US continues its naval blockade of Iranian ports. The developments come after a 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon came into effect at midnight on April 17.
Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing conflicts in West Asia involving Israel, Iran, the US, Gulf nations and non-state actors like Hezbollah, Hamas, Houthis, Islamic State, and others. Claims and counterclaims, disinformation and misinformation are being made online and offline. Given this context, WION cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, social media posts, photos and videos.
