A message circulating on social media which claims that Iran has blocked Indian ships from passing through the Strait of Hormuz and imposed conditions including the return of seized Iranian vessels has been termed 'baseless' by MEA fact check unit.
The post claims that several Indian ships are stranded, raising concerns over energy supplies.
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The viral claim states, “Iran and India have come face to face. Iran has refused permission for 22 Indian ships to pass through the Strait of Hormuz. Iran has demanded that India first return its 3 ships, which it had seized to please the United States.”
It further reads, “India had seized three Iranian oil tankers in February… on the fabricated charge of ‘concealing identity',” and that Iran has made it clear that “until Iran's three tankers are returned with honour, the Strait of Hormuz will remain a ‘no-go area' for Indian ships.”
“According to the global news agency Reuters, 22 Indian naval ships are currently stranded in the warm waters of the Strait of Hormuz, carrying 611 Indian citizens," added the post.
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It says “six of these ships are loaded with liquefied petroleum gas (LPG)” and warns that “India imports 90 percent of its required LPG from Gulf countries,” leading to fears of “severe shortages of domestic gas in India."
However, the fact check unit of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has flagged this claim as false.
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In a post on its official ‘X' account, the MEA Fact Check unit clarified that such statements circulating online are fake and baseless. “Please stay alert against such false and baseless claims and posts on social media,” the unit stated.
Fake News Alert!
— MEA FactCheck (@MEAFactCheck) March 19, 2026
Please stay alert against such false and baseless claims and posts on social media! pic.twitter.com/hI3PsItbGE
Earlier on March 17, the unit debunked another claim which claimed, “On March 12, India formally asked China for emergency urea to keep its fertilizer plants running. On March 16, China halted NPK fertilizer blend exports and extended its phosphate suspension through August.”
The post is baseless. Please be alert against baseless news and posts on social media. pic.twitter.com/ua4WMJQhtP
— MEA FactCheck (@MEAFactCheck) March 17, 2026
In the post, the fact check unit termed the claim as “baseless,” and urged, “please be alert against baseless news and posts on social media.”
Authorities have urged the public to rely only on verified sources and avoid sharing unverified information.
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