Operation Sankalp
India's Maritime Security Posture in the Gulf
Operation Sankalp was launched by the Indian Navy on June 19, 2019, to ensure the safe transit of Indian-flagged vessels through the Strait of Hormuz and the broader Gulf of Oman during a period of escalating US-Iran tensions. The operation marked a shift in India's naval posture from passive presence to active escort missions in a strategically vital choke point. In 2026, as West Asia conflict escalated, the Indian Navy deployed additional warships near the Gulf of Oman to escort LPG tankers — including SCI Shivalik and SCI Nanda Devi — through the Strait.
- Operation Sankalp was launched in June 2019 in response to tanker attacks attributed to Iran in the Gulf of Oman.
- By 2024, the Indian Navy had deployed over 30 ships and completed over 450 ship-days under this operation, safely escorting 230+ merchant vessels.
- In March 2026, Indian Navy warships escorted Shipping Corporation of India LPG tankers owned by Indian Oil Corporation through the Strait of Hormuz.
- India has deliberately kept Operation Sankalp a unilateral mission, declining to formally join Western naval coalitions such as Operation Prosperity Guardian, to preserve strategic autonomy.
● Tracked since March 02, 2026 · last seen July 31, 2026 · updates as the daily brief publishes
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