India Summons Iranian Envoy After IRGC Gunboats Fire on Indian Oil Tankers in Strait of Hormuz

The Indian government has summoned the Iranian Ambassador following an attack by Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) gunboats on two Indian-flagged crude oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday. While the crew members of the Jag Arnav and Sanmar Herald were reported safe and no structural damage was sustained, both vessels were forced to turn back. The incident occurs amid a volatile escalation in the region and a renewed closure of the vital shipping lane by Iranian military command.

The Details

The attack took place approximately 20 nautical miles northeast of Oman. According to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), IRGC gunboats approached the tankers and opened fire without issuing a VHF challenge. One of the targeted vessels, the Jag Arnav, is a very large crude carrier (VLCC). Both ships were transporting crude oil at the time of the engagement.

In response, India's Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri summoned Iranian Ambassador Dr. Mohammad Fathali to lodge a strong protest. Misri expressed 'deep concern' over the shooting incident and urged Tehran to immediately resume the facilitation of India-bound shipping through the Strait. The Ministry of External Affairs emphasized the critical importance of the safety of merchant shipping and mariners in the region.

The targeting of Indian vessels appears to be part of a broader pattern of aggression on Saturday. Multiple maritime security sources cited by Reuters report that at least two other merchant vessels, of unspecified nationality, were also hit by gunfire as they attempted to transit the strait.

This latest surge in violence follows a brief window of optimism. On Friday, April 17, Iran had announced that the Strait of Hormuz was open following a ceasefire in Lebanon. However, by Saturday, Iran's central military command abruptly reimposed restrictions. Iranian officials stated this move was a direct response to the ongoing U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports, which was initiated by a presidential order from Donald Trump on April 13.

India has previously managed to secure safe passage for several of its ships, including the Shivalik and Nanda Devi, through direct diplomatic engagement. Iranian officials had even described India as one of five 'friendly' nations, with the Iranian Embassy in India claiming just prior to the attack on X that Indian vessels were 'in safe hands.'

Context

The instability in the Strait of Hormuz is a central flashpoint in the wider Iran-U.S. conflict that began on February 28, 2026, after U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iranian territory. In response, Iran effectively shut the strait to most international shipping, causing a catastrophic collapse in traffic. UNCTAD data shows daily transits dropped from approximately 130 in February to just six in March—a 95% decrease.

The economic stakes are global; the strait carries roughly one-fifth of the world's oil and gas shipments. UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has warned that the 'strangling' of this waterway leaves the world's most vulnerable populations unable to 'breathe.'

For India, the human cost is already significant. The Ministry of External Affairs reports that eight Indian nationals have died and one remains missing in the West Asia conflict region since February. Currently, 485 Indian seafarers aboard 18 Indian-flagged vessels remain in the western Persian Gulf, remaining vulnerable to the unpredictable security environment.

Diplomatic efforts to reopen the strait have been fraught with deadlock. A draft resolution proposed by Bahrain to reopen the waterway is currently facing a vote in the UN Security Council, following previous vetoes by Russia and China that pushed the debate to the UN General Assembly.

What's Next

Attention now turns to the upcoming UN Security Council vote on the Bahrain-proposed resolution. The outcome will determine whether a multilateral framework for reopening the strait can be established or if the region will remain dependent on fragile, bilateral 'friendly nation' agreements.

India is likely to intensify its diplomatic pressure on Tehran to ensure the safety of the remaining 18 vessels in the Gulf. The failure of previous assurances from the Iranian Embassy suggests a shift in the operational rules of the IRGC, which has now ordered all vessels to use a specific new route between the islands of Larak and Hormuz.

Furthermore, the situation remains tied to the U.S. naval blockade. Unless a deal is reached regarding the lifting of the blockade on Iranian tankers, Iran is expected to maintain its aggressive posture toward commercial shipping, regardless of the nationality of the vessels involved.