Iran has permitted commercial ships from China, India, Iraq, and Qatar to transit the Strait of Hormuz without passage restrictions. Iranian officials stated the move toward Chinese vessels aims to build diplomatic ties and gain political backing from Beijing. Iran continues to levy transit fees on Chinese and Indian vessels while allowing Qatari ships free passage.
Iran has exempted commercial vessels from China, India, Iraq, and Qatar from transit restrictions in the Strait of Hormuz, according to a senior Iranian lawmaker. Amir Hayat Moghadam stated that the exemptions were granted based on mutual interests and strategic considerations. Tehran is charging transit fees to Chinese and Indian vessels, while Qatari ships are allowed to transit without payment.
Asian energy firms and ministerial delegations have established their largest presence to date at the Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference (Adipec). The event features 353 Asian companies and six national pavilions, with heavy representation from China, Japan, and India focused on securing Gulf energy supplies. In total, the fully booked exhibition hosts 2,260 exhibiting companies and more than 181,000 pre-registered attendees.
According to Indian government data reported by The Hindu, India eliminated crude imports from the U.S. and reduced Russian purchases by 18% in September 2026. The pivot followed the enactment of a new U.S. sanctions law and saw India expand oil purchases from the UAE by 67% month-on-month. The UAE's share of India's crude imports reached an all-time high of 26.5%, with Russia and the UAE together accounting for 60% of total supplies.
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