The assurance was conveyed after recent conversations between S. Jaishankar, India’s foreign minister, and his Iranian counterpart Seyed Abbas Araghchi, according to the Indian source, who declined to be identified because they were not authorised to speak publicly.

India, the world’s third-largest oil consumer, depends on the Strait of Hormuz for roughly 40% of its crude imports, making the security of shipping routes a key concern amid regional tensions.

India’s foreign ministry confirmed that the two foreign ministers had held three conversations in recent days. The most recent discussion focused on maritime safety and the protection of India’s energy supply lines.

“Beyond that, it would be premature for me to say anything,” foreign ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal told a weekly press briefing.

In a statement following the talks, Iran’s foreign ministry said the United States should be held responsible for the “insecure situation and problems arising for shipping in the Persian Gulf,” but neither side publicly mentioned any agreement on safe passage for Indian vessels.

On Thursday the Suezmax tanker Shenlong, carrying Saudi crude oil, arrived at a port in Mumbai after transiting the Strait of Hormuz, according to shipping data from the London Stock Exchange Group.

The Liberia-flagged vessel was the first crude tanker to reach India from the Middle East since fighting involving Iran, the United States and Israel erupted in late February. The cargo was purchased by state-run Bharat Petroleum Corporation, a source with direct knowledge of the matter said.

The Indian source added that two other foreign-flagged tankers believed to be carrying oil bound for India had also recently crossed the strait.

India said on Wednesday that 28 Indian-flagged vessels were operating west and east of the Strait of Hormuz, carrying a total of 778 Indian sailors.

Authorities, shipping companies and recruitment agencies are coordinating with Indian embassies and local authorities to ensure the safety of seafarers, the petroleum ministry said.

India has also given safe harbour to 183 Iranian sailors after a vessel docked in the country following the outbreak of the conflict. New Delhi had allowed three Iranian ships returning from a naval exercise in the Bay of Bengal to dock; one of the vessels was later sunk by a U.S. submarine in international waters, while another sought assistance from Sri Lanka.

The Iranian amphibious landing vessel IRIS Lavan docked in Kochi on Wednesday following an urgent request from Tehran, according to an Indian government source familiar with the matter. The docking occurred the same day a U.S. submarine struck the Iranian frigate IRIS Dena off Sri Lanka’s coast, killing at least 87 people, officials said.Speaking at the annual Raisina Dialogue in New Delhi, Jaishankar said the vessel and two accompanying ships had originally been scheduled to attend a fleet review in India but were caught amid the rapidly deteriorating security environment in the region.“We really approached it from the point of view of humanity,” Jaishankar said, referring to India’s decision to allow the vessel entry despite the complex legal and geopolitical circumstances. “I think we did the right thing.”humanitarian docking amid naval escalationAccording to the Indian government source, New Delhi received Tehran’s request on Feb. 28, the day hostilities between Iran and the United States and its allies intensified.

The request said the Lavan had developed technical issues and required urgent assistance.The ship’s 183 crew members have since been accommodated at naval facilities in Kochi while repairs are assessed, the source said, requesting anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter.The docking highlights India’s attempt to balance humanitarian obligations with its broader diplomatic relationships as tensions in the Indian Ocean region rise.U.S. strike sinks Iranian frigateThe Lavan’s arrival coincided with the sinking of the Dena, an Iranian frigate that had earlier participated in naval activities linked to India. The vessel was struck approximately 19 nautical miles off Sri Lanka’s coast, outside the island nation’s territorial waters but within its exclusive economic zone, officials said.The attack was carried out by a U.S. submarine as part of the widening conflict launched by U.S. President Donald Trump and Israel against Iran, Washington has said. Trump previously stated that degrading Iran’s naval capabilities was among the objectives of the military campaign.The Dena, a domestically built frigate commissioned in 2021 and capable of carrying anti-ship and surface-to-air missiles, had been returning from naval activities associated with India shortly before the strike. Regional response and rescue efforts.

Sri Lankan authorities said they were escorting another Iranian naval vessel, the IRIS Booshehr, to a harbour on the country’s eastern coast. Most of its crew members were being transferred to a navy camp near Colombo as a precaution, officials said.The incident has underscored growing security risks in the Indian Ocean as the conflict between Washington and Tehran spreads beyond the Middle East into critical maritime routes linking South Asia and the Persian Gulf.India has not commented on the broader military developments but officials said its decision to assist the Iranian vessel was based solely on humanitarian considerations.