India's Firm Stance Against Iran's Disruption of Hormuz Shipping
India issued its strongest diplomatic statement against Iran at the International Maritime Organization's (IMO) 36th extraordinary session, calling attacks on commercial shipping and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz "unacceptable."
India's Permanent Representative to the IMO stated: "We reiterate that targeting commercial shipping, endangering civilian crews and impeding safe and free navigation through international waterways, including the Strait of Hormuz, are unacceptable."
India flagged that at least 22 Indian-flagged vessels and 611 Indian seafarers remain in the Persian Gulf as shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has slowed sharply since the start of the conflict.
India warned of "grave risk of marine pollution" arising from attacks on commercial vessels in the waters.
A declaration tabled by the UAE and co-sponsored by over 115 IMO member-states — the most in the IMO's history — demanded that Tehran immediately refrain from any further attacks or actions disrupting civilian maritime vessels through the Strait of Hormuz.
The Strait of Hormuz: A Critical Maritime Chokepoint
The Strait of Hormuz is a narrow waterway located between Iran and Oman connecting the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea. It is the world's single most important oil transit chokepoint — a narrow passage through which there is no viable alternative route for the volume of energy it carries.
India's unusually sharp diplomatic tone at the IMO reflects the direct threat a Hormuz closure poses to its energy security — half of India's oil passes through this single waterway, and over 600 Indian seafarers are directly at risk.
The International Maritime Organization (IMO)
The International Maritime Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for regulating international shipping, maritime safety, and prevention of marine pollution by ships. It sets global standards for the safety, security, and environmental performance of international shipping.
India chose the IMO's extraordinary session — a multilateral platform — to articulate its position, elevating a bilateral concern into a matter of global maritime law and shared international responsibility.
Freedom of Navigation: International Legal Framework
Freedom of navigation is a principle of international maritime law established under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS, 1982). It guarantees the right of all states to have their ships sail through the high seas and straits used for international navigation.
Iran's disruption of the Strait of Hormuz is a direct challenge to the transit passage rights guaranteed under UNCLOS — India's statement at the IMO is grounded in this legal framework.
- 20 million barrels per day: average oil flow through the Strait of Hormuz in 2024 (~20% of global consumption)
- 50%: share of India's crude oil imports that transit the Strait of Hormuz
- 611: number of Indian seafarers in the Persian Gulf as of India's IMO statement
- 22: number of Indian-flagged vessels stranded or operating in the Persian Gulf
- 115+: IMO member-states that co-sponsored the UAE declaration against Iran — the most in IMO history
- India imports ~90% of its crude oil, making it the world's third-largest oil importer
- IMO established: 1948 (operational 1958), headquartered in London