London / Brussels / New Delhi, April 3, 2026: In a historic diplomatic development, over 40 nations formally launched a multinational coalition on Thursday, April 2, 2026, committed to securing the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, the vital maritime chokepoint that has been effectively blocked by Iran since the start of the US-Iran war approximately five weeks ago. Led by the United Kingdom, with France playing a key co-leadership role, the coalition has pledged to mobilise a full range of diplomatic, economic, and strategic tools to press for a safe and sustained reopening of the waterway, through which an estimated 20% of global oil and a significant share of the world’s liquefied natural gas (LNG) normally flows.

The formation of the coalition marks a significant multilateral response to one of the most severe disruptions to global energy supplies in modern history. The Strait of Hormuz, a narrow waterway lying between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, connects the oil-rich states of the Middle East with global markets and is considered one of the world’s most critical energy chokepoints. Since Iran effectively closed the strait following the onset of the US-Israel military campaign, global energy markets have been in turmoil, with crude oil and LNG prices soaring and threatening economic stability in energy-importing nations across Asia, Europe, and beyond.

The Coalition: Who Is In and What Are the Goals?

British Foreign Secretary David Lammy announced the coalition’s formation after chairing a virtual meeting of foreign ministers from more than 40 countries — a gathering notable for the absence of the United States, which declined to participate. The coalition’s stated objective is to pursue a non-military path to reopening the strait, focusing on collective diplomatic pressure, targeted economic measures, and international legal mechanisms rather than force. According to the official statement, the coalition will pursue the “collective mobilisation of our full range of diplomatic and economic tools” to enable a “safe and sustained opening” of the Strait of Hormuz.

Nations participating in the coalition include major European states — France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, and others — as well as key Asian countries including Japan and South Korea, and several Gulf states outside Iran’s sphere of influence. India, which has significant stakes in the Strait of Hormuz given its heavy energy import dependency, was among the nations closely following the coalition’s formation, though New Delhi has maintained its characteristic strategic autonomy and has not formally joined any bloc in the ongoing conflict.

Why the US Stayed Out

The notable absence of the United States from the coalition reflects the sharp divergence in Washington’s approach from that of its European allies. President Trump, in remarks on April 3, said the US could reopen the Strait of Hormuz “with a little more time” and expressed confidence that US military pressure on Iran would eventually force Tehran to back down and allow free navigation through the waterway. Trump made clear that the US sees the strait’s reopening as a consequence of its military campaign, not as a separate diplomatic objective requiring a multinational coalition.

European allies, by contrast, are deeply anxious about the economic fallout of the prolonged Strait blockade and are pursuing diplomatic channels partly out of concern that the US military approach — while effective in degrading Iran’s military infrastructure — is producing dangerous and unpredictable escalation, as evidenced by the shooting down of a US fighter jet over Iran on April 3.

Economic Impact: A Global Energy Crisis

The closure of the Strait of Hormuz has triggered a global energy crisis of extraordinary severity. Crude oil prices have surged to levels not seen in decades, with Brent crude trading at elevated levels that are pushing inflation higher across the world. LNG prices have also spiked dramatically, affecting natural gas supplies to Europe — which was already working to diversify away from Russian gas following the Ukraine conflict — as well as to South and East Asia.

For India, the economic consequences have been particularly significant. India is among the world’s largest importers of crude oil, importing a large portion of its needs from the Gulf region. The Hormuz blockade has disrupted oil supply chains, leading to higher import costs, inflationary pressures on fuel prices, and ripple effects across the broader economy. The government has been in emergency consultations with oil marketing companies and the petroleum ministry to manage the situation.

India’s Position: A Delicate Balance

India’s response to the Strait of Hormuz crisis has been characterised by its traditional strategic autonomy and its avoidance of taking sides in the US-Iran conflict. While New Delhi has consistently called for a ceasefire and a return to dialogue, it has avoided joining any formal military or diplomatic coalition that could be seen as aligning it with one belligerent over the other. India has significant relationships with both the United States and Iran, as well as with key Gulf states, and is therefore seeking to preserve all these relationships while also protecting its energy security interests.

Indian diplomats have been active behind the scenes, engaging with both the US and Iranian governments as well as with European partners and Gulf states. The Indian government has also been exploring alternative energy supply chains, including accelerating imports from other oil producers such as Russia, West Africa, and South America, to reduce its dependence on Gulf oil during the crisis period.

What Comes Next: Can the Strait Be Reopened?

The prospects for reopening the Strait of Hormuz through diplomatic means remain uncertain but not hopeless. Iran has signalled, through back-channel communications, that it is willing to discuss a ceasefire if certain conditions are met, including a halt to US-Israeli airstrikes and guarantees for Iran’s territorial integrity. The coalition’s formation adds significant international weight to the diplomatic push and may create space for negotiations that have so far been elusive.

France and South Korea also announced on April 3 that their leaders would work together on diplomatic efforts to reopen the Strait. The UNSC is scheduled to vote on a proposal by Bahrain related to the Strait of Hormuz crisis. Whether these diplomatic efforts can succeed — against the backdrop of a US fighter jet being shot down over Iran and Trump’s $1.5 trillion defence budget request signalling no imminent American de-escalation — remains to be seen. The Strait of Hormuz has become the epicentre of the world’s most dangerous geopolitical crisis of 2026, and its reopening will likely define the trajectory of the global economy for years to come.