The government denied rumors in the media on tuesday that it was pursuing a deep-sea energy pipeline that would connect Gujarat to Oman and other Gulf nations.

According to a clarification from the Petroleum Ministry, it has seen several media reports claiming that the Indian government is aggressively working to build a deep-sea energy pipeline, also known as the Middle East-India Deepwater Pipeline (MEIDP), that would link Oman and other Gulf states to Gujarat.

“The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas wants to make it very clear that this Ministry is not currently considering such a proposal. It said in a statement that there are no active discussions or negotiations about this project at any level in this Ministry with Oman or any other Gulf states.

“The purpose of this clarification is to put an end to any conjectures surrounding this subject,” the ministry further stated.

On Monday, the Malta-flagged LNG carrier DISHA, operated by a consortium headed by the Shipping Corporation of India, made a safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz with a cargo of 62,370 metric tons of LNG bound for Dahej in Gujarat. It is anticipated to arrive in India on June 18.

The government stated that it is constantly working with the Ministry of External Affairs, Indian missions overseas, shipping businesses, and other relevant parties to guarantee the safety and well-being of Indian seafarers and provide all support. Across India, port operations are running normally and without any reported delays.

Only a few days after three Indian sailors on board the MT Settebello were slain after the US military attacked the commercial ship off the coast of Oman, the Directorate General of Shipping (DGS) has additionally recommended maritime recruitment and placement agencies and shipping companies to limit the deployment of Indian sailors to Middle East conflict zones until further instructions.

According to a circular issued by DG Shipping, masters of ships operating in or passing through the Gulf region, including the Strait of Hormuz and nearby waters, are advised to maintain heightened security awareness, carefully monitor navigational warnings received and advisories issued by security agencies, and implement all applicable ship security measures and company security procedures.