Amid Hormuz crisis, Indian nationals on shadow fleet raise concerns for Delhi

New Delhi: India’s Directorate General of Shipping has advised all Indian seafarers serving onboard Indian and foreign-flagged vessels transiting “through conflict-affected waters to exercise the highest degree of caution and vigilance.” The vessel operators, ship managers and shipping companies have also been advised to adhere strictly to prevailing maritime security protocols.

This comes as three foreign-flagged vessels, with Indian crew onboard, have been attacked by US forces off the coast of Oman. This has prompted a strong response from India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), including the summoning of US CdA Jason Meeks. The incidents, involving vessels accused of attempting to breach a US-imposed blockade on Iranian oil exports, have raised concerns over maritime safety and the risks faced by Indian seafarers.

MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, “These attacks came from US Navy stationed in the region. The 3 ships involved are foreign flagged...2 of them are OFAC sanctioned, and one is non-compliant.” Two of the ships were already under “US sanctions” as part of the so-called “shadow fleet”, ageing tankers, evading Western sanctions. These vessels often use complex ownership structures, ship-to-ship transfers in remote areas, and flag-hopping to obscure their activities.

Officials note that crews, including Indians, often join such vessels knowingly for higher pay or through unscrupulous recruitment agents. While expressing concern for its nationals, New Delhi has stressed the distinction between legitimate Indian shipping and foreign-flagged operations in the sanctions grey zone.

The first incident involved the MV Marivex, a Palau-flagged vessel attacked on 8 June 2026 in the Oman Search and Rescue Region. According to US accounts, the ship reported Fujairah in the UAE as its next port of call, but this was unverified. It allegedly attempted to run the blockade on multiple occasions despite repeated warnings. On its third try, it was turned south towards Masirah Island, claiming it would comply. On 8 June, it stopped north of the island, appearing to mask movements for a fourth attempt using Omani waters. US authorities stated the vessel was “disabled” after ignoring interceptions. 24 Indian nationals onboard the vessel were rescued by Oman authorities.

On 10 June, the Palau-flagged MT Settebello was targeted. US CENTCOM described it as a “non-compliant” vessel attempting to transport Iranian oil. Precision munitions struck the engine room after the crew failed to heed directions. 3 Indian nationals died in the incident, sparking anger against the US, but raising concern about the actions of the vessels as well.

One Indian deck cadet, 23-year-old Aditya Sharma, was killed. His father, Rajesh Sharma, expressed profound grief, seeking accountability. “The captain continued to sail the ship, and was under pressure... Despite the blockade, the ship continued to vessel. A warning was given... The US military took a deadly action, and a number of other measures can be taken to take control, like takeover, crew member arrest, and why use a missile. This is a matter that needs to be investigated.”

The third vessel, MT Jalveer (Guinea-Bissau-flagged), was hit on 11 June with two AGM-114 missiles targeting its engine room. US forces linked the action to blockade violations, recent Iranian port calls (Bandar Abbas and Jask), and ship-to-ship transfers with OFAC-sanctioned vessels.

The shadow fleet has become a major cause of concern for global maritime security and environmental risks from poorly maintained ships. India has emphasised that no Indian-flagged vessels have been targeted. Many of these vessels have the AIS system off, so that they cannot be detected, which makes it a much more dangerous situation. Around 12-13 Indian-flagged vessels remain in Hormuz and haven’t moved as Indian shipping authorities remain cautious. Those Indian ships that have moved have followed the new protocols that have come into being after the 40-day war came to an end. The fragile ceasefire that emerged after the conflict has been breached several times by all sides.