India seizes three US-sanctioned oil tankers linked to Iran: Report
Seizure of vessels about 100 nautical miles west of Mumbai follows improved India-US ties and heightened efforts to curb illicit oil transfers in Indian waters
India has reportedly seized three oil tankers sanctioned by the United States and linked to Iran, stepping up maritime surveillance to crack down on illicit oil trade in its waters.
The vessels — Stellar Ruby, Asphalt Star, and Al Jafzia — were intercepted earlier this month in India’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ), about 100 nautical miles west of Mumbai. While Indian authorities initially confirmed the action in a February 6 post on X, the statement was later deleted.
An unnamed source familiar with the matter confirmed to news agency Reuters that the ships were escorted to Mumbai for further investigation.
Crackdown in India’s Maritime Zone
According to the Reuters report, the tankers frequently changed identities to evade law enforcement by coastal states, a common tactic in the sanctioned oil trade. Their owners are believed to be based overseas.
India has intensified surveillance across its maritime zones to prevent ship-to-ship transfers designed to obscure the origin of oil cargoes. The Indian Coast Guard has deployed around 55 ships and between 10 and 12 aircraft for round-the-clock monitoring, the report said.
Also Read: Indian company banned by US for ‘dealing in Iranian petro products’
The action comes amid improving diplomatic ties between New Delhi and Washington. Earlier this month, the US announced it would reduce import tariffs on Indian goods to 18 per cent from 50 per cent after India agreed to halt Russian oil imports — a significant shift in trade and energy policy alignment.
Sanctions and denials
The US Office of Foreign Assets Control had sanctioned three vessels last year — Global Peace, Chil 1, and Glory Star 1 — with International Maritime Organisation (IMO) numbers identical to the ships recently seized by India.
Shipping data from the London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG) indicates that Al Jafzia transported Iranian fuel oil to Djibouti in 2025, while Stellar Ruby was flagged in Iran. Asphalt Star reportedly operated mainly on routes around China.
Also Read: Allies back off, US isolated on Iran curbs at UNSC
However, Iranian state media quoted the National Iranian Oil Company as denying any connection to the seized vessels or their cargoes.
Sanctioned oil is often traded at deep discounts, with intermediaries using complex ownership structures, falsified documentation, and mid-sea transfers to bypass enforcement mechanisms — practices that have drawn increasing scrutiny from maritime authorities worldwide.