What do we know about the 'Indian' vessels crossing Hormuz?

Three vessels pass through the perilous Strait of Hormuz, but none are Indian-flagged. India Today uses maritime intel data to explain all about the Indian vessels stranded in the Strait.

Two “Indian-flagged” vessels, Pushpak and Parimal, took the spotlight on Thursday after media reports suggested they had safely crossed the Strait of Hormuz. However, while these ships are managed by Indian companies, they are neither owned by Indian entities nor registered under the Indian flag.

Media reports also suggested that Iran has now allowed Indian-flagged vessels to safely transit the Strait of Hormuz. But during a media briefing, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal neither confirmed nor denied these reports. He stated that, "External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has spoken with his Iranian counterpart three times in recent days, with the most recent conversation focusing on the safety of shipping and India’s energy security. Beyond this, it will be premature for me to say anything."

With Shahed drones overhead, explosive unmanned surface vessels prowling the waters, and naval mines planted both on the seabed and tethered below the surface, Iran has effectively turned the strategic Strait of Hormuz into a maritime choke point. India Today has created a 3D digital animation to illustrate how this layered web of threats can strangle commercial shipping moving through the narrow waterway.

India Today’s Open-Source Intelligence(OSINT) team reconstructed the vessels’ full trajectories using maritime intelligence and AIS data, revealing how the ships carefully navigated the high-risk corridor through the Strait of Hormuz rather than being granted safe transit. Vessel trajectories of Pushpak and Parimal

The tanker Shenlong became the first Mumbai-bound crude carrier to safely transit the Strait of Hormuz since hostilities erupted late last month between the United States, Israel and Iran. Two other vessels, Pushpak and Parimal, have likewise navigated the volatile Persian Gulf corridor, successfully clearing the choke point into the Gulf of Oman amid heightened security risks. Vessel trajectory of Liberia-flagged Suezmax tanker Shenlong from UAE to Mumbai

Vessel-tracking data shows that the Liberia-flagged Suezmax tanker Shenlong began its recent voyage from Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates, where it was bunkered between February 19 and February 28. The tanker’s first port call followed days later at the Ju’aymah Oil Field Terminal near Ras Tanura in Saudi Arabia, where it loaded cargo between March 2 and March 3, according to maritime intelligence records.