India-bound ship among two vessels seized by Iran in Strait of Hormuz near Mundra port route

📌 Summary:

• Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy seized two commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz — one of them was an India-bound cargo ship carrying crude oil destined for Mundra Port, Gujarat

• The seizure is part of Iran's stated policy of retaliating against US and Israeli maritime operations; Iran has cited violations of its maritime zone as justification

• The Strait of Hormuz is the world's most critical oil chokepoint — approximately 20–21% of global oil trade (and 35% of India's oil imports) transits through the 33-km-wide strait

• India's Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) issued a statement demanding immediate release of the vessel and crew; Indian officials are in contact with Iranian authorities through the Indian Embassy in Tehran

• Impact: Marine insurance premiums for Hormuz-transiting vessels have spiked 300–400% since January 2026; shipping companies are beginning to reroute via the Cape of Good Hope (adding 10–15 days to transit)

• The incident highlights India's structural dependence on the Strait of Hormuz and the risk this poses to energy security, supply chains, and import costs

• Geopolitical context: Iran's seizure strategy mirrors the Houthi Red Sea disruptions of 2024 — using maritime leverage to alter US/Israeli behaviour; India, as a non-belligerent, is caught in the crossfire

🔍 UPSC Relevance:

• Maritime security, Strait of Hormuz, IRGC, India's energy security — critical GS3 Internal Security and GS2 IR topic

• UNCLOS (freedom of navigation), chokepoints, India's maritime doctrine

⚡ Prelims Facts:

• Strait of Hormuz: between Iran and Oman; width ~33 km | Global oil trade through Hormuz: ~20% | India's oil import through Hormuz: ~35% | IRGC: elite Iranian military force, designated terrorist organisation by US (2019) | Mundra Port: largest private port in India (Adani Group), Gujarat | UNCLOS: Article 17 (innocent passage), Article 38 (transit passage)