Fifteen days into the US–Israel war on Iran, US President Donald Trump has called on several nations including China, France, Japan, South Korea and the United Kingdom, to dispatch warships alongside American forces to keep the Strait of Hormuz open, as Iran has effectively closed the world’s most critical oil chokepoint to vessels linked to Washington and its allies.
Writing on Truth Social, Trump urged nations “especially those affected by Iran’s attempted closure” of the strait to send warships “in conjunction with the United States of America, to keep the Strait open and safe.” The appeal, however, brought no commitments as oil prices soared during the ongoing conflict.
Strikingly absent from Trump’s list, India has chosen a different path entirely, one of quiet, persistent diplomacy and has already secured safe passage for its own vessels through the blockade, emerging as a rare example of dialogue yielding tangible results in a region gripped by war.
An Ocean on Fire
The Strait of Hormuz, through which one-fifth of the world’s oil shipments normally transit, has been essentially closed by Iran in response to US and Israeli attacks, sending oil prices soaring past $100 per barrel. At least ten oil tankers have been hit, targeted or reported attacks since the conflict began on 28 February, with around 1,000 oil tankers currently stranded and unable to pass. Iran’s position has been bluntly stated: Tehran says the Strait remains open to all except the US and its allies, with Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi confirming that his country had been “approached by a number of countries” seeking safe passage.
In response to Trump’s coalition call, the navy chief of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), Alireza Tangsiri, hit back, saying: “Americans falsely claimed the destruction of Iran’s navy. Then they falsely claimed the escorting of oil tankers. Now they’re even asking others for backup forces.” Experts are equally sceptical of Trump’s plan. Andreas Krieg, a Middle East security expert at King’s College London, called it “a desperate move in an information campaign to calm markets,” suggesting it masked the absence of a broader strategy. Barbara Slavin of the Stimson Center further doubted China would comply, noting that Iranian oil was flowing to Beijing quite smoothly and that Iran was selectively blocking only vessels affiliated with the US and Israel.
India’s Quiet Diplomacy: A Different Kind of Power
While Trump sought to rally a naval coalition, India was already achieving results through dialogue. In a significant breakthrough, two Indian-flagged LPG tankers – Shivalik and Nanda Devi, operated by the Shipping Corporation of India, safely crossed the Strait of Hormuz on 14 March 2026 and are now headed home, escorted by the Indian Navy. External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar spoke to his Iranian counterpart Seyed Abbas Araghchi four times since the war broke out, focused on maritime safety and India’s energy security.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi also personally intervened, calling Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian to discuss the transit of goods and energy from the Gulf. The goodwill ran deeper than phone calls: India gave safe harbour to 183 Iranian sailors from a vessel that docked after the war began, a gesture Iran’s ambassador acknowledged directly, saying: “The Government of India, in this situation after the war, helped us in different fields.”
Iran’s Ambassador to India, Mohammad Fathali, confirmed the passage of the tankers simply and warmly: “Yes, because India is our friend.” The stakes for India could not be higher roughly 40 per cent of India’s crude imports rely on the Strait of Hormuz and the war has prompted a critical shortage of cooking gas in a country with 333 million homes connected to LPG. Meanwhile, France’s President Emmanuel Macron indicated he was working with partners in Europe, India and Asia on a possible international mission to escort ships, but stressed it must wait until “the circumstances permit” and fighting has subsided.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
In a crisis that has brought the world’s most powerful military to the shores of the Persian Gulf, India’s response stands apart and stands tall. While warships are being mobilised and ultimatums issued, New Delhi’s sustained, respectful engagement with Tehran has delivered what no amount of military posturing has yet achieved: safe passage for Indian vessels, cooking gas for Indian homes and a working relationship preserved even in the heat of war.
India’s approach, rooted in its historic tradition of strategic autonomy and respect for sovereign dialogue is not just prudent foreign policy; it is a reminder to the world that empathy and communication are not signs of weakness, but instruments of extraordinary strength. As global energy markets reel and millions face rising fuel costs, this moment calls on every nation to ask itself whether the instinct to send warships is truly wiser than the courage to pick up the phone.
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(@realDonaldTrump – Truth Social Post )
— Donald J Trump Posts TruthSocial (@TruthTrumpPost) March 14, 2026
( Donald J. Trump – Mar 14 2026, 10:04 AM ET )
Many Countries, especially those who are affected by Iran’s attempted closure of the Hormuz Strait, will be sending War Ships, in conjunction with the United States of America, to keep the… pic.twitter.com/7AWeV3sKlE
