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On a notable front amid a worsening US-Israel-Iran dispute, two Indian-flagged very large gas carriers (VLGCs), the Shivalik and Nanda Devi, that are owned by the Shipping Corporation of India (SCI) have gone through the maritime Strait of Hormuz without any mishaps. The vessels had a cargo capacity of about 92,700 metric tons of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) supplied by Ras Laffan in Qatar and passed through the chokepoint between the end of the day on Friday and the beginning of the day on Saturday after Iran had approved the exercise of diplomatic talks between New Delhi and Tehran.

Shivalik approached Mundra Port and, around March 16-17, arrived, and Nanda Devi arrived at Kandla Port not much later. This innovation is critical relief to the acute shortage of LPG in India, with over 90 percent of the country's imports being in the Gulf region interrupted by the war. Nevertheless, 22 other Indian flagged ships (six of them also an LPG carrier with 3 lakh tonnes) languish at sea, with the strait having no option but to pressurize vessel-by-vessel safe passage. The Indian Navy is on standby to escort should the necessity arise, and this reflects how New Delhi is concerned about the safety of its energy.