AS THE war between the United States-Israel combine and Iran turns into a war of words over a ceasefire deal, many countries affected by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz are tapping mechanisms to bring out their oil-filled vessels from the key waterway. India has been on the forefront in launching a multi-pronged strategy to ensure safe passage of its ships from the chokepoint. India’s diplomacy has already yielded positive results with Iran declaring that the Strait is open for “friendly countries”. As the next step, the Indian Navy has quietly launched Operation Urja Suraksha to ensure safe passage of commercial ships through the volatile maritime chokepoint. The Navy has helped five vessels safely pass the waterway into the safe waters of the Arabian Sea. More ships are set to come out of the chokepoint with the guidance and security of India’s warships. It is a major strategic victory for India as the Strait of Hormuz remains volatile due to the ongoing tensions.

 

The waterway, through which about a fifth of the world’s oil and seaborne liquefied gas passes, is blocked for countries involved in war with Iran and many other American allies. However, India has managed to get permission from the Iranian regime to take its ships out of the Hormuz. Despite the green signal, the waterway remains a danger zone for every vessel passing through it. In this context, the Operation Urja Suraksha brings a sigh for relief for the transiting ships which need expert guidance to cross the danger zone. The Navy operation is a key step in securing India’s energy interests as supplies are taking a hit due to the ongoing war. The Indian Navy has assumed a proactive role with deployment of more than five frontline warships.

 

These frigates are ensuring safe movement of India-bound cargo ships following their exit from the Strait of Hormuz. The Navy ships secure critical maritime routes and protect these commercial ships carrying essential supplies of crude oil, LPG and LNG. It also helps with backchannel coordination as well as real-time navigation to ensure these merchant vessels cross the Strait. The Navy’s role assumes great significance as Intelligence reports have flagged dangers of underwater mines in and around the Strait of Hormuz. For cargo vessels, it is an unknown danger as these ships are not fully equipped to navigate such a tricky waterway. The Indian warships are helping these vessels to carefully chart their course with alternate but safe routes, ensuring safety of the crew and essential supplies on the ships. Indian Navy’s destroyers and frigates are escorting these ships out of the danger zone through a layered security arrangement and guiding those out of the troubled zone towards the Arabian Sea.

 

The Operation is a strategic exercise, launched without much publicity. Its success can be measured from the statement of the Shipping Ministry which has stated that no incident involving any Indian ship or seafarers has been reported in the past 48 hours. This situation is in contrast with the new of attacks on Indian-flagged ships and crews reported in the initial days of the war. The changed story is a great measure of India’s diplomatic and military-capability success. The operation also brings into focus the progress achieved by the Indian Navy. The force was waiting for reforms and rebuilding as per modern requirements for a long time. It was ushered in after the Centre took up national security as a top-priority agenda following continuous threats in the maritime domain. The Navy has seen the induction of many hi-tech machines, frigates, warships and submarines, making it an important point in India’s nuclear triad. Its success can be seen from the heavy deployment of warships for Operation Urja Suraksha without compromising on the security in the Indian Ocean. It is a result of purposeful and coordinated planning between the Centre and the Navy. Strength-building remains the only option for our armed forces for a secure future.