India Bans Seafarer Deployment in Strait of Hormuz After Attacks

The Directorate General of Maritime Administration has ordered ship owners, managers, and recruitment agencies to stop deploying Indian seafarers on vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz until further notice. This directive follows a series of attacks on merchant vessels in the Persian Gulf and Omani waters, including the GFS Galaxy, Mombasa B, and Al Bahyah. The violence resulted in the deaths of at least two Indian sailors, including 30-year-old marine engineer Heramb Karmarkar, and left one person missing. In total, nine Indians have died during the wider West Asia crisis.

In response to the casualties, Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal launched the 'Seafarer-First' initiative. This program establishes a 24x7 grievance support system and a real-time operational dashboard to track Indian crew members across the Persian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz, and Gulf of Oman, regardless of the vessel's flag. As of July 15, shipping companies have evacuated 3,932 seafarers, though 17 vessels of Indian interest remain in the region awaiting evacuation.

The crisis coincides with escalating military conflict between the United States and Iran. The U.S. Central Command reported six consecutive days of precision strikes against Iranian military targets, while the Indian government lodged diplomatic protests with Iran over missile attacks on civilian shipping. To support rescue operations, India has assigned the Indian Navy's Information Fusion Center – Indian Ocean Region to monitor the area.