Trump-Modi Phone Call on Iran War and Strait of Hormuz
US President Trump and Prime Minister Modi held a 40-minute phone call — their third bilateral conversation in 2026 — to discuss the ongoing conflict in West Asia
The two leaders reviewed progress in the India-US Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership and agreed on the importance of keeping the Strait of Hormuz open and secure
The call came approximately 48 hours after US-Iran peace negotiations in Islamabad collapsed without agreement after a 21-hour marathon session
The Strait of Hormuz was effectively closed at the time, with the US having announced a naval blockade of Iranian ports effective April 13, 2026
Both leaders are expected to finalise big-ticket bilateral deals in energy and other sectors in the coming weeks
India-US Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership
The India-US relationship was elevated to a Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership during Prime Minister Modi's state visit to the United States in June 2023. The partnership encompasses defence, technology, trade, energy, and people-to-people ties. Key institutional mechanisms include the iCET (initiative on Critical and Emerging Technologies) and the Defence Technology and Trade Initiative (DTTI).
The frequent phone calls between the two leaders reflect the deepened strategic relationship, and the upcoming energy deals represent direct implementation of the 2023 partnership commitments.
Strait of Hormuz: Critical Maritime Chokepoint
The Strait of Hormuz is a narrow waterway approximately 30 miles (48 km) wide at its narrowest point, connecting the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman and then to the Indian Ocean. It is the world's most important oil chokepoint. Any disruption to this strait has immediate and severe consequences for global energy supply.
India's energy security is directly at stake when the Strait of Hormuz is disrupted — India was among the largest buyers of oil transiting the strait in 2024, making diplomatic engagement to keep it open a core national interest.
India-Iran Relations and Energy Dependence
India has historically maintained strategic ties with Iran, including as a buyer of Iranian crude oil. Iran is also the gateway to Central Asia through the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC), and India has invested in the Chabahar Port in Iran's Sistan-Baluchestan province as a trade corridor bypassing Pakistan.
Key Details
- India imported significant volumes of Iranian crude before US sanctions were tightened post-2018; imports effectively halted under US sanctions
- Chabahar Port: India's strategic investment on Iran's Gulf of Oman coast; a key node of INSTC connecting India to Russia and Central Asia via Iran
- INSTC: 7,200 km multimodal route connecting India (Mumbai) → Iran → Azerbaijan/Central Asia → Russia; reduces freight time compared to Suez Canal route
- India's neutral diplomatic posture on the Iran-US conflict reflects its balancing act between energy/strategic interests in Iran and its Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership with the US
India's call for keeping the Strait open is not just about energy transit — it also reflects concerns about the broader India-Iran strategic axis, including Chabahar and INSTC, which are threatened by regional military escalation.
- Strait of Hormuz width at narrowest point: approximately 30 miles (48 km)
- Oil through Hormuz in 2024: ~20 million barrels/day (~20% of global petroleum consumption)
- India's crude oil import dependence: 87.8% in FY 2023-24
- India-US bilateral trade: over $200 billion (2023)
- India's committed US energy purchases: $25 billion/year (target announced 2025)
- US naval blockade of Iranian ports began: April 13, 2026
- This was the third Trump-Modi phone call in 2026
- US-Iran Islamabad talks: 21 hours, April 12, 2026 — collapsed without agreement