India on Monday said it hasn’t engaged in bilateral talks with the US to ensure safe transit of merchant vessels through the Strait of Hormuz.
The remarks by the Ministry of External Affairs came against the backdrop of US President Donald Trump calling on several countries to send warships to keep the strategically key shipping route open.
Global oil and gas prices have surged after Iran virtually blocked the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow shipping lane between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman that handles roughly 20 per cent of global oil and LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas).
In a social media post, Trump hoped that China, France, Japan, South Korea, the UK and other countries affected by Iran’s attempted closure of the Strait of Hormuz, will send warships to the region to keep the shipping route “safe and open”.
There has not been any concrete response by the leading countries.
In its reaction, China called on all sides to immediately stop military operations in West Asia to help k