Two India-Flagged LPG Tankers Transit Hormuz As India Races To Ease Its Worst Gas Crisis In Decades

Two India-bound liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) tankers have begun crossing the Strait of Hormuz, offering a small but significant relief for India as it grapples with a severe cooking gas supply crunch triggered by disruptions in the Gulf.

According to ship tracking data from LSEG and Kpler, the vessels BW Elm and BW Tyr are currently transiting the crucial waterway en route to India. Their movement comes at a time when the ongoing US-Israeli war against Iran has severely disrupted shipping activity in one of the world's most critical energy corridors.

India begins moving stranded LPG cargo through Hormuz

The two India-flagged tankers have already crossed the Gulf region and are now in the eastern stretch of the Strait of Hormuz, according to the tracking data.

Their passage marks a fresh development in India's efforts to gradually clear LPG shipments that had been stuck in the Gulf due to the conflict and rising maritime risks.

So far, India has managed to move four stranded LPG tankers out of the strait: Shivalik, Nanda Devi, Pine Gas, and Jag Vasant.

Iran had earlier indicated that shipping could continue under specific conditions, saying that "non-hostile vessels" may transit the waterway if they coordinate with Iranian authorities.

Several Indian ships still remain stuck in the Gulf

Despite the latest progress, a substantial number of Indian vessels remain stranded in the region.

As of Friday, 20 Indian-flagged ships, including five LPG carriers, were still stuck in the Gulf, according to Rajesh Kumar Sinha, special secretary in the federal shipping ministry.

Among the LPG carriers yet to cross are Jag Vikram, Green Asha, and Green Sanvi, which LSEG data showed were still positioned in the western Strait of Hormuz.

The latest movements suggest India is trying to carefully navigate the crisis by moving ships in phases, while closely monitoring security conditions in and around the strait.

India faces worst gas crisis in decades

The shipping disruption comes at a particularly sensitive time for India, which is currently facing what has been described as its worst gas crisis in decades.

India is the world's second-largest importer of LPG, and the heavy dependence on overseas supplies has made it especially vulnerable to disruptions in the Gulf.

To prevent a shortage of cooking gas for households, the government has already started cutting LPG supplies to industries. The move is aimed at ensuring domestic consumers continue to receive cooking gas despite the tightening supply situation.

Heavy dependence on Middle East supplies adds pressure

India consumed 33.15 million metric tons of LPG last year, with imports meeting around 60% of total demand.

Of those imports, nearly 90% came from the Middle East, underlining how crucial the Strait of Hormuz remains for India's energy security.

In another sign of emergency planning, India is also reportedly loading LPG onto its empty vessels stranded in the Gulf, likely in an effort to maximise available shipping capacity and reduce delays in cargo movement.

With more Indian ships still awaiting safe passage, the transit of BW Elm and BW Tyr may offer only limited immediate relief, but it signals that India has started finding a narrow route through one of the most volatile maritime choke points in the world.