Amid rising tensions in West Asia and concerns over maritime disruptions, India on Tuesday categorically asserted that it does not pay any tax or levy for its ships transiting the strategically crucial Strait of Hormuz, dismissing such claims as “baseless”.Clarifying the position, Rajesh Kumar Sinha, Special Secretary in the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, said the strait is governed by international law which guarantees freedom of navigation.“The question about toll or levy while passing the strait — as you know this is an international strait and as per international convention, it has the right of freedom to navigation. Levy cannot be imposed on any ship passing through it. So if anyone says that, it is baseless,” he said.The clarification follows media reports attributing remarks to Iranian lawmaker Alaeddin Boroujerdi, suggesting that merchant vessels were being charged up to USD 2 million for safe passage through the conflict-hit strait.Providing an operational update, Sinha said around 20 Indian-flagged vessels remain in the region, adding that six LPG-laden tankers are expected to be in transit over the next few days. “Their movement is being closely monitored. In 3–4 days, we will have six loaded LPG tankers,” he said.The government also moved to reassure on the safety of Indian maritime operations, stating that all Indian seafarers in the region are safe and no incident involving Indian-flagged vessels has been reported in the past 24 hours.Two Indian LPG carriers — Pine Gas and Jag Vasant — successfully crossed the strait last night and are currently en route to India with cargo. While Pine Gas, carrying around 45,000 metric tonnes of LPG, is expected to reach New Mangalore on March 27, Jag Vasant, with over 47,600 metric tonnes, is scheduled to arrive at Kandla on March 26.Following their transit, as many as 20 Indian-flagged vessels with around 540 Indian seafarers remain deployed in the western Persian Gulf region. The Directorate General of Shipping is maintaining close coordination with ship owners, recruitment agencies and Indian missions to monitor the evolving situation.The Government said India’s maritime sector continues to function without disruption, with no congestion reported across major ports. State maritime boards across Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Puducherry have confirmed normal operations.At Kamarajar Port, authorities have granted an extended free storage period of up to 40 days for cars bound for the Gulf, along with additional storage space to ease logistics.The ministry said it continues to closely track shipping movements, port operations and the safety of Indian seafarers as the situation in West Asia evolves, while ensuring that maritime trade remains uninterrupted.