Operation Urja Suraksha () is a maritime security operation conducted by India to protect the nation's energy supplies by escorting Indian-flagged ships and ships destined to reach Indian ports during the 2026 Strait of Hormuz crisis.
Background
Under Operation Sankalp, the Indian Navy had embarked on a policy of constant maritime patrol within the Indian Ocean region as a means to safeguard the nation's shipping interests and trade routes. The Persian Gulf plays a significant role in India's maritime trade with West Asia, from where India imports much of its oil supplies. In recent years, India has been reported to import over 80% of its petroleum and 90% of its Natural Gas via this strategic waterway. With tensions arising in the middle east following a United States buildup of ships between December 2025 and March 2026, multiple Indian naval assets were deployed across the Persian Gulf, the Red Sea , Southeast Asia and the central Indian Ocean, aimed at boosting naval diplomacy efforts.
India had reduced purchases of Iranian oil amid sanctions pressure and enforcement actions targeting Tehran's "shadow fleet" from 2019, with Indian authorities in February 2026 seizing multiple vessels linked to illicit Iranian oil shipments as part of broader efforts to curb sanctioned energy trade and align with international sanctions enforcement initiatives. Many of these vessels have been sanctioned by the United States. India also remained alert on the potential for a week-long conflict, should such a situation arise.
When the 2026 Iran war began, an Indian Navy destroyer and a frigate had been deployed in the Gulf of Oman and the Gulf of Aden under Operation Sankalp. The destroyer, , had visited Bahrain to conduct joint training with elements from the Bahraini Navy and the US-CENTCOM under Combined Task Force-154 (CTF-154). On 1 March, the Prime Minister-chaired Cabinet Committee on Security, the country's highest decision-making body on security and strategic affairs, had convened a meeting to review the West Asia conflict and its implications for India. As on 2 March, India was reported to be "closely monitoring" the situation while the warships could be immediately diverted for HADR operations, as per a senior defence official.
On 10 March, The New York Times reported that the Indian government was evaluating options to escort the Indian-flagged vessels that were stuck near the crisis-hit Strait of Hormuz. As of then, there were 36–38 such vessels with 1,100 sailors, all of which were safe with the crew members reported to be having sufficient provisions. The ships are complying to "enhanced safety protocols" including reporting to authorities at a higher frequency. Indian ship owners had requested the government for naval escorts. The NYT quoted Captain P.C. Meena, a senior member of India's apex maritime authority.
Unlike the passive monitoring protocols seen in previous years, the Navy implemented close-protection escorts for India-flagged liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and crude oil tankers. Through back-channel negotiations led by the National Security Advisor, Ajit Doval, India may have secured an informal guarantee from Tehran for the safe passage of Indian vessels, provided they are escorted by Indian naval assets and do not carry coalition materiel.
On 25 March, Operation Urja Suraksha was reported to have been initiated to secure oil supplies from the Middle East to India. The Navy provides critical precise instructions to each ship through the Iran-controlled route, closer to the Iran coast than the official shipping lanes. Indian-headed tankers have taken routes that hug the Iranian coast before either dashing into international waters in Chabahar or sailing near Pakistani waters to avoid blockade from US Navy ships in the area.The Indian Navy vessels meet commercial shipping at a pre-arranged rendezvous point in the Gulf of Oman, safely away from both US and Iranian operational zones before escorting the ships to Indian ports.
India was also among the five nations, including China, Russia, Iraq and Pakistan, whose ships were allowed to transit the Strait of Hormuz. This was announced by the Foreign Minister of Iran, Abbas Araghchi on 26 March.
Indian ship transits
12–18 March On 12 March, 28 Indian vessels were struck near the Strait of Hormuz including 24 on the west of the choke point carrying 668 sailors and three more vessels to the east of the strait with 76 sailors on board. Before the Indian Navy started the evacuation, the Islamic Republic of Iran Navy guided most of the Indian vessels that were allowed to cross the region. Three warships were deployed in the Gulf of Oman during 14–15 March. One warship provided escort to each commercial vessel crossing the strait while two more remained on standby. Two task forces were reportedly deployed under Operation Sankalp. Indian Navy MH-60R helicopters were also seen engaged for maritime patrol.
INS Surat also rescued eight Pakistani fishermen on 15 March who were stranded east of Oman's Port of Duqm after their fishing vessel Islami had a fire accident. Ship(s) transittingOwnershipPort of departurePort of arrivalPayloadDate of crossing the straitDate of arrivalDetailsJag Prakash Great Eastern Shipping Sohar Port Port of Tanga Crude oil 13 March 22 MarchThe ship was on the east of the strait sailed away safely, carrying oil from the Sohar Port to the Port of Tanga.MT Shivalik MT Nanda Devi Shipping Corporation of India (chartered by the Indian Oil Corporation) Ras Laffan Industrial City Mundra Port Kandla Port Liquified Petroleum Gas (46,200 tonnes) Liquified Petroleum Gas (46,500 tonnes)14 March16 March 17 MarchMT Shivalik had loaded LPG from Qatar on 26 February and was scheduled to depart on 28 February, when the war begun. The ship was asked to move to Ras Laffan port and then to Mina Saqr, Ras Al Khaimah, UAE. Yet, safety was uncertain as Dubai was one of the targets from Iranian drones and missiles. The orders to exit the Strait, a 10-hour passage, was received on 13 March. Indian Navy MH-60R helicopters were also seen engaged for maritime patrol during the escort. Each of the vessel carried approximately 32.4 lakh standard 14.2 kg domestic cylinders, meeting one day of India's LPG net import needs. Around 24,000 tonnes of LPG is expected to be dispatched to Tamil Nadu. Unloading from Shivalik and Nanda Devi was underway by 18 March. LPG carrier Apollo Ocean undertook ship-ship loading of LPG from Shivalik to New Mangalore Port. BW Birch undertook ship-ship loading of LPG From Nanda Devi at its second scheduled stop at Vadinar and delivered it to Haldia port. Jag Laadki Great Eastern Shipping Port of Fujairah Kandla Port Crude oil (Murban) (80,800 tonnes) 16 March18 MarchThe Indian crude tanker experienced a "close call" while loading itself with Murban crude oil at Fujairah Single Point Mooring while the Fujairah oil terminal was attacked. The ship later departed the port at 10:30 am IST on 15 March. This was reported by the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas. On 16 March, an Indian warship escorted the ship out of Hormuz. Following the escort of the Shivalik and the Nanda Devi, there were 22 additional Indian ships with 611 seafarers in the west of Hormuz. All Indian seafarers are safe without any "untoward incident" in the last 24 hours, according to the Special Secretary at the Indian Shipping Ministry, Rajesh Kumar Sinha. Further, there are six more LPG tankers with a combined 3 lakh tonnes of LPG in the region.
19–25 March By 21 March, India was drawing up broader plans to evacuate Indian-flagged vessels from the region. If executed successfully, the operation would salvage 3 days of India's requirement of crude oil, natural gas and cooking gas. Two of the 22 ships are container ships. The remainder are energy carriers, including three LNG carriers, 10 LPG carriers and seven crude tankers. This assessment was compiled by the Directorate General of Shipping. On 25 March, a report indicated that three crude tankers owned by the Shipping Corporation of India, including a VLCC and an Aframax, are heading towards India from the west of Hormuz. One of the vessels include Desh Vaibhav with a deadweight tonnage of 316,200 tonnes. Transponder signals identify the ships as "GOVT. OF INDIA SHIP".
A report by The Times of India on 26 March, citing "sources in the defence establishments", indicated that the Indian Navy deployed over five frontline warships in the region under Operation Urja Suraksha. There were 20 more Indian ships to the west of the Strait of Hormuz. The Indian Navy keeps in contact with the India-bound vessels that are preparing to leave the Persian Gulf. Officials in DG Shipping also said that the Indian destroyers and frigates would escort and guide an India-bound vessel out of the troubled waters from the Gulf of Oman with a layered security arrangement, after it clears the Strait with Iranian consent. An independent analyst assessed that Iran allows a vessel to leave the region following a "verification" which is conducted during "the ships’ transit inside Iranian waters". Reports also indicate the deployment of large numbers of sea mines in the region and that the warships are also guiding the cargo vessels to navigate through the designated safe routes.
LPG carriers Jag Vasant and Pine Gas were the first to escape the conflict zone with escorts under the operation. Reports also indicate the deployment of large numbers of sea mines in the region and that the warships are also guiding the cargo vessels to navigate through the designated safe routes. The Iranian Navy had guided the earlier Indian vessels that were allowed to cross the region. Ship(s) transittingCrewOwnershipPort of departurePort of arrivalPayloadDate of crossing the straitDate of arrivalDetails Jag Vasant Pine Gas 33 sailors 27 sailors Great Eastern Shipping Kuwait City Ruwais refinery Kandla Port Dhamra Port Liquified Petroleum Gas (47,600 tonnes) Liquified Petroleum Gas (47,000 tonnes) 23 March26 March 2 AprilOn 23 March, LPG carriers Jag Vasant and Pine Gas started sailing northwards from the UAE coast towards Iran's Qeshm and Larak Islands according to LSEG ship-tracking data. They travelled through the coastal waters of Iran, a route followed by other ships which were allowed to sail through the Strait. Their Indian ownership was conveyed by their transponders which, however, did not transmit their destination. While the transit takes around 14 hours without hindrance, the ships were expected to cross the strait by evening. Both the vessels entered the Persian Gulf on 26 February and filled LPG from Kuwait and Ruwais, UAE, respectively. They were carrying 92,612.59 tonnes of LPG combined and will reach the Indian ports between 26 and 28 March, respectively. While Jag Vasant carrying 47,600 tonnes of LPG will reach the Kandla Port on 26 March, Pine Gas is carrying 45,000 tonnes of LPG to the New Mangalore Port and is scheduled to reach the port on 27 March. However, by 2 April, Pine Gas was reloaded up to 47,000 tonnes of LPG mid-sea and had been rerouted to the Visakhapatnam Port and was expected to dock in the port by early morning of 2 April. The original destination of the ship was New Mangalore Port but was rescheduled to reach Dhamra Port, Odisha on 1 April, followed by Visakapatnam the next day. There were five more LPG carriers to the west of Hormuz according to Reuters. Further 11 sailors onboard Indian vessels to the west of Hormuz have returned home which further brings down the number of Indian sailors to 540. India also started loading LPG into empty vessels that were stranded in the Persian Gulf,indicating possible sailing back to Indian shores.India loads LPG onto stranded empty ships amid gas crisis | Reuters
26 March–1 April