India Seizes Three Iran-Linked, US-Sanctioned Tankers: Report
NEW DELHI: India this month seized three US-sanctioned oil tankers bound for Iran and stepped up surveillance in its maritime zone to curb illicit trade, a source said on Monday, confirming a deleted post by Indian officials about X in early February.
India aims to prevent its waters from being used for ship-to-ship transfers that disguise the origin of oil cargoes, a source with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters.
The seizures and increased surveillance follow an improvement in U.S.-India relations. Washington announced earlier this month that it would cut import duties on Indian goods from 50% to 18% after New Delhi agreed to halt Russian oil imports.
The three sanctioned ships (Stellar Ruby, Asphalt Star and Al Jafzia) frequently change their identities to evade law enforcement of coastal states, the source said, adding that their owners are based abroad.
SHIPS WERE TAKEN INTO THE OPEN SEA OF MUMBAI
Iranian state media quoted the National Iranian Oil Company as saying that the three tankers seized by India had no connection with the company. It was stated that neither the cargo nor the ships were affiliated with the company.
Indian authorities had stated in a post published on
The post was later deleted but the source confirmed that the vessels were taken to Mumbai for further investigation.
According to the source, the Indian Coast Guard has since deployed around 55 ships and 10 to 12 aircraft for 24-hour surveillance in maritime areas.
The US Office of Foreign Assets Control said last year it sanctioned three ships named Global Peace, Chil 1 and Glory Star 1, and their IMO numbers were the same as the ships recently seized by India.
According to LSEG data, two out of three tankers are linked to Iran; Al Jafzia was transporting fuel from Iran to Djibouti in 2025 and Stellar Ruby was Iranian flagged.
Data shows that Asphalt Star operates mostly on trips around China.
Sanctioned oil and fuel are often sold at deep discounts due to risks such as intermediaries moving the cargo through complex ownership structures, forged documents and mid-sea transfers that make enforcement difficult.
