India has been invited to participate in an international conference hosted by the United Kingdom and France aimed at advancing plans to reopen the strategically important Strait of Hormuz, the Ministry of External Affairs said on Friday, April 17. The waterway, a vital global oil transit route, has remained severely disrupted amid the ongoing conflict involving the United States and Israel against Iran.
On April 16, Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a telephone conversation with French President Emmanuel Macron, during which both leaders discussed the worsening situation in West Asia and stressed the urgent need to restore safety and freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz.
France and the United Kingdom have reportedly invited around 30 nations to join the discussions, including several countries from West Asia and Asia, though the full list of participants has not been publicly disclosed. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni are expected to attend the talks in person, while other leaders are likely to join virtually.
The proposed maritime initiative is partly seen as a response to criticism from U.S. President Donald Trump, who has accused allied nations of failing to support military efforts and argued that reopening the strait should not be America’s responsibility alone.
The meeting in Paris forms part of broader international efforts by countries not directly involved in the conflict to reduce its global economic fallout. Since hostilities began on February 28, Iran has effectively restricted movement through the narrow strait, through which nearly one-fifth of the world’s oil supply typically passes. The situation intensified further after the United States announced retaliatory measures, including a blockade of Iranian ports.
Notably, the United States is not participating in the planning of the proposed security effort, known as the Strait of Hormuz Maritime Freedom of Navigation Initiative. Ahead of the conference, President Emmanuel Macron stated on social media that the mission would be purely defensive in nature, involving non-combatant nations and deployed only when security conditions allow safe operations.
