NEW DELHI: Foreign secretary Vikram Misri represented India in a meeting that was hosted by the UK on Thursday to discuss efforts to secure the Strait of Hormuz. More than 60 countries participated in the meeting that discussed diplomatic and political, instead of military, measures to restore freedom of navigation through the key energy route.In the meeting, Misri underlined the importance of the principles of freedom of navigation and unimpeded transit through international waterways, according to an Indian readout. The government said he also emphasised the impact of the crisis on India’s energy security and the fact that India remains the only country to have lost mariners in attacks on merchant shipping in the Gulf.“He (Misri) also underlined that the way out of the crisis consisted of de-escalation and a return to the path of diplomacy and dialogue among all concerned parties,” said the Indian readout on the meeting.The UK meeting followed US President Trump’s assertion that the responsibility of keeping the strait open must be shouldered by Asian and European nations more reliant on oil and gas passing through that chokepoint than the US. Washington was reported to have skipped the virtual meeting that was chaired by British foreign minister Yvette Cooper.While India participated in the meeting, it has not yet endorsed a joint statement signed earlier by the UK and 35 other countries that expressed readiness in the document to contribute to “appropriate efforts to ensure safe passage through the Strait”. India continues to back its direct talks with Tehran to resolve the issue that, as external affairs minister S Jaishankar said earlier, have yielded some results. Iran has so far allowed 6 India-flagged vessels to sail through the Strait of Hormuz.
