Discuss the vulnerabilities exposed in India's energy security architecture by the Strait of Hormuz crisis arising from the 2026 Iran War, and critically evaluate the adequacy of India's policy response.

The 2026 Iran War, triggered by US-Israeli strikes that killed Iran’s Supreme Leader on 28 February, and Iran’s subsequent closure of the Strait of Hormuz, severely stress-tested India’s entire energy security architecture like never before.

Vulnerabilities Exposed

• With nearly 90% of India’s LPG imports transiting Hormuz, the blockade triggered fuel shortages and public protests within weeks, while Brent crude surged from roughly $80 to $120 a barrel, straining both the current account and household budgets nationwide. Decades of continued dependence on a single maritime corridor, without adequate strategic reserves or diversified long-term sourcing, left India with few immediate levers beyond price absorption and reactive, crisis-driven diplomacy.

India’s Response

• New Delhi promptly deployed Operation Sankalp, with Indian Navy warships escorting stranded LPG carriers safely out of the Strait through the Gulf of Oman, while a temporary US waiver allowed emergency purchase of discounted Russian crude. Studied neutrality, avoiding direct blame on either Iran or the US- Israel coalition, helped preserve access and leverage with all parties.

Critical Evaluation

• The naval and diplomatic response was swift, well-coordinated, and operationally effective, but it substituted for, rather than resolved, the underlying problem of chokepoint dependence. Strategic petroleum reserves remain thin, and genuine sourcing diversification has stayed largely reactive rather than structural or pre-planned.

Way Forward

• India must accelerate strategic petroleum reserve expansion, diversify crude and LPG sourcing beyond Gulf suppliers, and fast-track alternate corridors such as Chabahar and IMEC, converting this crisis into durable, structural energy resilience rather than a one-time naval and diplomatic save.

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