A news coming from Gulf countries has increased the heartbeat of the economy of the whole world. The European Union’s naval mission ‘Aspides’ has received a strict radio message from Iran’s Revolutionary Guards that ‘no ship is allowed to pass through the Strait of Hormuz.’ This is not just a military warning, but can prove to be a dangerous spark that sets fire to the prices of petrol and diesel across the world. From domestic budget to international trade, the echo of this one decision will be heard everywhere. But amidst this big global crisis, there is one country for which this tension is no less than a big opportunity and that country is Russia.
Iran keeps strict vigil on the world’s ‘oil vein’
The Strait of Hormuz is said to be the most important vein of global energy supply. About 20 percent of the crude oil used worldwide (about 21 million barrels per day) passes through this only route. Big oil producers like Saudi Arabia, Iraq, UAE and Iran itself transport their oil to the whole world through this route via the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea. If there is any obstruction on this important route, there will be a huge shortage of oil in the global market, the direct effect of which will be seen in the form of a sharp rise in prices.
A golden opportunity for Russia is hidden in big trouble
This blockade of Iran will have the most profound impact on China. China is not only the world’s largest importer of crude oil, but it is also the most important buyer of Iranian oil. If we look at the data of analytics firm Kpler for 2025, China alone buys more than 80 percent of Iran’s total oil exports. Independent refineries in China’s Shandong province are heavily dependent on Iranian oil because of the lure of huge discounts.
If the movement of ships from Hormuz stops, then these Chinese refineries will have no other option but to go towards Russia to meet their needs. On this geopolitical situation, a European citizen also commented on social media that after this step of Iran, China will now meet its energy needs from Russia, which will bring huge profits to Russia. However, Russia’s benefit will depend on how long the Iran sanctions continue.
closure of hormuz is a threat to india
Russia is already selling crude oil to China at record levels. According to new estimates, China has imported more than 2 million barrels of oil per day from Russia in February. On the other hand, due to strict sanctions from Western countries and pressure from the US trade agreement, India has significantly reduced its oil imports from Russia. As a result, China has started rapidly buying that cheap ‘Urals crude’ of Russia, which is getting cheaper by about 9 to 11 dollars per barrel than the benchmark prices.
At the same time, India imports about 50 percent of its crude oil requirement through this Strait of Hormuz. In the first weeks of the year 2026, India has imported about 26 lakh barrels of oil per day from Gulf countries. If this sea route remains closed for a few more days, the oil supply to India will be disrupted and prices will start skyrocketing in the international market. Expensive oil will have a direct impact on the cost of transportation of goods in India, due to which the inflation of everyday items can break the back of the people.