Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar stated in a report published by British media on March 15 that the most effective way to restart the stalled shipping in the Strait of Hormuz is through direct dialogue with Iran.

In an interview with the British Financial Times, Jaishankar said he had engaged in dialogue with Iran and "achieved some results." Two Indian-flagged tankers carrying liquefied petroleum gas recently safely exited the Strait of Hormuz from the Gulf and headed toward India.

Jaishankar noted that this is the latest example of diplomatic efforts paying off. "Of course, from India's perspective, it is better for us to argue, coordinate, and find solutions than not to do so." This is a photo taken on March 6 at the port of Doha, Qatar, showing the stranded cruise ship "Meishif V" (left) (mobile phone photo). Photo by Wang Qiang, Xinhua News Agency.

However, Jaishankar hinted that Iran has not agreed to give preferential treatment to all Indian vessels. He also mentioned that Iran did not receive any benefits from India in return.

When asked whether European countries could learn from India's approach, Jaishankar said that each country's relationship with Iran is different, making comparisons difficult, but India is willing to share its successful experience with Europe. He revealed that many European countries have already engaged in dialogue with Iran.

The conflict between the United States, Israel, and Iran has caused a "blockage" in the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial global energy transportation route. Shipping data shows that from March 1 to 13, only 77 vessels passed through the Strait of Hormuz. The British Lloyd's Shipping Information Agency, which provides shipping data and analysis services, stated that most of these ships belong to the so-called "shadow fleet," meaning tankers and gas carriers that evade Western sanctions and have unclear ownership.

Although Iran claims it has not closed the Strait of Hormuz, most ships dare not risk passing through due to the lack of guaranteed navigation safety. Data from the British Maritime Trade Operations Office shows that since early March, 20 commercial vessels, including nine tankers, have been attacked or reported incidents in and around the Strait of Hormuz.

India is highly dependent on energy imports, most of which come from the Middle East. Although the U.S. government has relaxed restrictions on India's purchase of Russian crude oil, this is only a drop in the bucket. Research by Japan's Nomura Securities shows that India can obtain 20 to 30 million barrels of crude oil from Russia, equivalent to only four days of India's crude oil consumption, which is insufficient to address the urgent market needs.

Hassan Malik, head of geopolitical risk at British company Tellimer, believes that India has almost no ability to withstand the impact of supply chain disruptions caused by shipping blockages in the Strait of Hormuz. (Wang Hongbin)