Congress MP Manish Tewari on Friday, April 3, 2026, has demanded from the Central Government to clarify the situation on the efforts being made to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Tiwari stressed that India’s crude oil trade has been badly affected due to the ongoing tensions in West Asia. According to statistics, earlier India used to bring 22 billion barrels of crude oil through this route, now it has reduced to only 0.5 million barrels.
What steps has the Government of India taken so far?
The Indian government is active at the international level on this sensitive issue and is holding diplomatic talks. Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri participated in a major meeting hosted by Britain on 2 April 2026. In this virtual meeting, more than 40 countries discussed maritime security and safe movement of ships. External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal has clarified that India is in constant touch with Iran and other concerned countries. It is a matter of relief that in recent times six Indian ships carrying LPG and LNG have passed this route safely.
Hormuz dispute and ongoing turmoil at international level
Manish Tiwari has also sought a response from the government on the reports that Iran is collecting toll from ships. However, the Indian government has denied reports of any toll-like arrangement. Following are some more important points in this matter:
The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is going to vote on a proposal put forward by Bahrain to provide security to ships. Manish Tiwari claims that countries like Türkiye, Egypt and China are making their own efforts on this issue. India’s stance has always been to keep the sea lanes free and safe under international laws. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has also expressed the need to completely open this trade route as soon as possible.
