India seizes Iran linked tankers and deploys 55 vessels

17:10

By: Dakir Madiha

India seizes Iran linked tankers and deploys 55 vessels

India has confirmed the seizure of three oil tankers under US sanctions suspected of operating within Iran’s so called shadow fleet, marking the country’s first major enforcement action against ships accused of evading international oil restrictions.

The operation comes amid improving ties between Washington and New Delhi following a new bilateral trade framework. It has prompted a significant expansion of maritime surveillance by the Indian Coast Guard.

The vessels, identified as Stellar Ruby, Asphalt Star and Al Jafzia, were intercepted about 100 nautical miles west of Mumbai after authorities detected suspicious activity inside India’s exclusive economic zone, according to Reuters. The operation took place on 5 and 6 February, with the tankers subsequently escorted to Mumbai for further investigation.

Indian authorities initially announced the interception in a social media post on 6 February, though the message was later removed, Reuters reported. A source familiar with the matter confirmed the seizures and said India aims to prevent its waters from being used for ship to ship transfers designed to obscure the origin of oil cargoes.

The three tankers are part of a 30 vessel network managed by Jugwinder Singh Brar, an Indian national based in the United Arab Emirates who was designated by the US Treasury Department in April 2025 for operating in Iran’s oil sector, according to the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. The ships are reported to have frequently changed identities to avoid detection, with ownership structures based overseas.

Maritime data from LSEG cited by several media outlets indicate that two of the vessels had documented links to Iran. Al Jafzia transported fuel oil from Iran to Djibouti in 2025, while Stellar Ruby was sailing under the Iranian flag at the time of its seizure. Asphalt Star primarily operated along routes connected to China.

Following the interceptions, the Indian Coast Guard deployed around 55 ships and between 10 and 12 aircraft to maintain continuous monitoring of Indian waters. The stepped up patrols underscore New Delhi’s stated objective of curbing illicit oil transfers in the region.

Iran’s state media reported that the National Iranian Oil Company denied any connection to the three vessels or their cargoes.

The enforcement action coincided with the announcement of a major US India trade framework. President Donald Trump signed an executive order on 6 February lowering US tariffs on Indian imports from 50 percent to 18 percent after India pledged to halt its purchases of Russian oil.

The seizures align with broader Western efforts to disrupt parallel tanker operations used to circumvent sanctions. The US military also boarded another sanctioned tanker, Veronica III, in the Indian Ocean after tracking the Panama flagged vessel from the Caribbean, according to the Pentagon, which said the ship was intercepted and secured.