New Delhi— In a significant development for India’s energy supply chain, the India-flagged LPG tanker Jag Vikram has successfully crossed the Strait of Hormuz, becoming the first Indian vessel to do so after the recent ceasefire between the United States and Iran.
According to ship-tracking data, the tanker passed through the critical maritime corridor between Friday night and Saturday morning and was later spotted in the Gulf of Oman, moving eastwards.
Owned by Great Eastern Shipping Company, the vessel is a mid-sized gas carrier with a capacity of over 26,000 tonnes and is estimated to be transporting around 20,000 tonnes of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG).
The transit marks a crucial step toward normalising shipping activity in the region after weeks of disruption caused by the West Asia conflict. Jag Vikram is the ninth Indian vessel to exit the Persian Gulf since early March, while nearly 15 India-flagged ships remain in the region awaiting safe passage.
The Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most vital energy corridors, had effectively been shut during hostilities, leaving hundreds of vessels stranded, including tankers and gas carriers. The reopening follows a temporary two-week ceasefire agreement between Washington and Tehran.
India’s heavy dependence on energy imports—about 88 per cent of crude oil, nearly half of natural gas, and around 60 per cent of LPG—makes the safe functioning of this route critical. A large share of these imports passes through the Strait, primarily from Gulf countries.
The disruption had earlier forced India to curtail LPG supplies to commercial users such as hotels and restaurants, while prioritising domestic consumption. However, with alternative sourcing and improving transit conditions, supplies have gradually been restored to near-normal levels.
Industry experts see the successful passage of Jag Vikram as an early sign of stabilisation in global energy logistics, though uncertainty remains as geopolitical tensions continue in the region.
