April 19, 2026 — India summoned Iran’s ambassador and lodged a formal protest after two Indian-flagged merchant vessels were reportedly fired upon while transiting the Strait of Hormuz.
Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri met Iran’s ambassador, Mohammad Fathali, to convey “deep concern” about the “shooting incident” and to stress the importance India attaches to the safety of merchant shipping and mariners. The foreign ministry noted that Tehran had previously facilitated the safe passage of several India-bound ships.
Monitoring site TankerTrackers.com said two Indian vessels were forced back west out of the Strait of Hormuz by Iran’s Sepah (IRGC) Navy. It added that one of the vessels was “an Indian-flagged VLCC supertanker carrying 2 million barrels of Iraqi oil.” The two ships were among several trying to pass through Hormuz after Iran on Friday had briefly declared the waterway open for shipping; Iran later announced it had reimposed a blockade.
Responding to queries, Abdul Majid Hakeem Ilahi, the Iranian Supreme Leader’s representative in India, said bilateral ties remained very strong and expressed hope the matter would be resolved peacefully. “We don’t want this war. We want peace,” he told news agency ANI, urging peaceful solutions amid wider regional tensions.
The incident comes amid heightened volatility around the Strait of Hormuz and comes as New Delhi reaffirmed its concern for the safety of seafarers and commercial shipping lanes critical to global energy supplies.