24
Mar
New Delhi (Gurpreet Singh): The Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways on Tuesday, March 24, 2026, categorically denied reports that Indian merchant vessels are being charged exorbitant fees for safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz. Rajesh Kumar Sinha, Special Secretary in the ministry, dismissed claims of a $2 million levy as "baseless," asserting that the strait is an international waterway governed by global conventions that guarantee the right of freedom of navigation. The clarification follows controversial remarks attributed to an Iranian lawmaker suggesting that vessels were being taxed amid the escalating military conflict in West Asia. Providing an operational…