India says no talks with US on Hormuz ship passage

India has not held any discussions with the United States about helping ships pass through the Strait of Hormuz, a key route for global oil shipments, Reuters quoted a spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs as saying on Monday.

This comes amid growing international concern over shipping security in the strategically important waterway as tensions escalate in the Middle East.

US President Donald Trump has asked several allies — including France, China, Japan, South Korea and Britain — to help secure the strait for global shipping.

The conflict in Iran, triggered by airstrikes by Israel and the United States in late February, has rattled global energy markets and disrupted supply chains. Benchmark Brent crude oil prices have surged more than 40% amid fears that shipping through the narrow passage could be affected.

Meanwhile, the European Union is exploring options to bolster maritime security in the region. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said the bloc is considering whether it could expand its naval mission, Operation Aspides, currently focused on the Red Sea, into the Persian Gulf or form a “coalition of the willing” among member states.

The strait, located between Oman and Iran, is one of the world’s most critical chokepoints for oil trade, with a significant portion of global crude exports passing through it each day.

Source: The Economic Times