India says talks with Iran are helping secure shipping through Strait of Hormuz
Foreign Minister Jaishankar says negotiations have “yielded some results” as countries weigh responses to Iran's closure of key energy routes
India’s Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar said negotiations with Iran have helped secure safe passage for some Indian vessels through the Strait of Hormuz, describing the talks as productive amid rising global concerns over disruptions to shipping.
In an interview with the Financial Times, Jaishankar confirmed that discussions with Tehran are ongoing and have already produced limited results. “I am at the moment engaged in talking to them, and my talking has yielded some results,” he said. The minister added that negotiations had allowed two Indian-flagged gas tankers to pass through the strait on Saturday.
Jaishankar said diplomacy remained India’s preferred approach to resolving the issue. “From India’s perspective, it is better that we reason and we coordinate and we get a solution than we don’t,” he said. “If it is yielding results for me, I would naturally continue to look at it.” He also stressed that there is no general arrangement with Tehran for Indian vessels, saying, “Every ship movement is an individual happening.”
The comments come as Donald Trump urged major powers, including China, France, and the United Kingdom, to send warships to the Strait of Hormuz to help reopen the waterway, which is a critical route for global energy shipments. The closure has pushed governments to consider whether to pursue diplomacy with Iran or participate in military efforts to restore shipping access.
Jaishankar said India’s engagement with Tehran reflects the longstanding relationship between the two countries and rejected suggestions that any concessions had been offered in exchange. “It’s not an exchange issue,” he said. “India and Iran have a relationship. And this is a conflict that we regard as something very unfortunate.”
The minister is expected to discuss the situation with European counterparts during a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels on Monday. European governments are considering whether to expand the mandate of the Aspides naval mission in the Red Sea to include the Strait of Hormuz. The mission currently includes three warships from France, Italy, and Greece.
Jaishankar said discussions with Iran remain ongoing as India continues to monitor the situation. “These are still early days. We have many more ships there,” he said. “While this is a welcome development, there is continuing conversation because there is continued work on that.”