During the war between Iran and America and Israel, the Strait of Hormuz remained a constant target and due to this, most of the countries had to face trouble. Presently the ceasefire is going on, but both sides are also claiming that Hormuz has been targeted. India is also worried about the Hormuz crisis. India expressed serious concern at the UN on threats to commercial ships in Hormuz and said that targeting ships is not right and is completely unacceptable.
India's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Harish P, appealed for restraint and de-escalation amid the ongoing tensions in the Middle East region, urging immediate restoration of safe navigation of ships in the Strait of Hormuz. Hormuz is an important 55 kilometer wide sea route between Iran and Oman, through which about 20 percent of the world's oil trade is conducted.
Representing India in the debate under the Veto Initiative on “The Situation in the Middle East” in the UN General Assembly, Harish P emphasized that maritime security is vital for India's energy and economic interests. He said, "For India, a matter of great concern, in terms of its energy and economic security, is the movement of commercial ships through Hormuz. India expressed regret that during this war, commercial ships have been targeted by military attacks."
Talking about exercising restraint during the conflict, the Indian representative said, "Since the conflict broke out in Iran and the Gulf region on February 28, India has expressed deep concern over it. And has also requested all countries to exercise restraint, avoid escalating tensions and give priority to the safety of civilians. We have requested all countries to move forward through dialogue and diplomacy, reduce tensions in the region and seriously resolve core issues." He also said that we have also appealed to respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries.
The Indian Ambassador also said that during the conflict in the Gulf, Indian citizens have also become victims of this conflict. He said, "Many Indian sailors aboard the ships were killed during this conflict. We reiterate that targeting commercial ships, endangering innocent civilians and crew members, or creating any obstruction to freedom of movement and trade in Hormuz is unacceptable. International law in this regard must be fully followed."
He further said, “We also strongly request that safe and unhindered navigation of ships and global trade through Hormuz be restored as soon as possible.” Earlier, India had participated in a meeting of over 60 countries in Britain to discuss ways to reopen the vital Strait of Hormuz; This route has been affected due to the conflict between America-Israel-Iran for about a month.
