India has not engaged in bilateral discussions with the US regarding deploying naval vessels to ensure the safe passage of merchant shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, the external affairs ministry said on Monday.
External affairs ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated that India has not yet discussed the matter in a bilateral setting, despite US President Donald Trump's call for countries to send warships to keep the critical waterway open.
India will continue its discussions with several stakeholders on this matter, Jaiswal added, citing external affairs minister S Jaishankar's interview with Financial Times, where he mentioned that India does not have a 'blanket arrangement' with Iran for Indian-flagged ships to transit the Strait of Hormuz.
Two Indian-flagged LPG carriers successfully crossed the Strait of Hormuz early on Saturday following phone calls between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and foreign ministers Jaishankar and Seyed Abbas Araghchi.
India has not joined multilateral naval forces to protect merchant shipping in the Red Sea or Strait of Hormuz during hostilities, though the Indian Navy has deployed warships to escort Indian-flagged vessels while acting in coordination with the navies of other countries.
