Indian ships that had been stranded in the Persian Gulf began sailing through the Strait of Hormuz (the narrow waterway connecting the Gulf to the Arabian Sea and a critical global oil transit route) after Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi confirmed the strait was "completely open." The vessels had been held up amid regional tensions that had disrupted passage through the strategically vital chokepoint. The resumption of navigation is significant for India, which relies heavily on the strait for energy imports and maritime trade with the Gulf region.