Indian Seafarers in Shadow Fleet Tankers: Growing Risk After US Strikes off Oman
Three oil tankers were struck by US naval forces within three days off the coast of Oman, resulting in three Indian seafarer deaths and at least 65 requiring rescue operations.
The strikes targeted vessels suspected of breaching the US naval blockade on Iranian ports, which has been in effect since 13 April 2026.
India's total maritime workforce has surged from approximately 100,000 to 350,000 over the past decade, with Indian seafarers now constituting roughly 12% of the global maritime workforce — making Indian nationals disproportionately exposed to high-risk shipping operations.
A significant number of these seafarers are being recruited — sometimes unknowingly through unscrupulous recruitment agents — to crew shadow fleet vessels carrying sanctioned crude oil.
The Directorate General of Shipping issued an advisory urging Indian mariners to "exercise the highest degree of caution" when transiting conflict zones in the region.
India's Ministry of External Affairs summoned the US Charge d'Affaires to lodge a formal diplomatic protest and called for an immediate cessation of strikes on commercial vessels.
The Shadow Fleet: Definition and Global Scale
The shadow fleet (also called the dark fleet) refers to the ecosystem of oil tankers that operate at the margins of international maritime law to transport crude from sanctioned nations — primarily Russia, Iran, and Venezuela — to buyers, concealing cargo origin, ownership, or destination. These vessels exploit gaps in ship registration, insurance, and tracking systems.
Indian seafarers recruited for shadow fleet vessels accept elevated operational and legal risks — including exposure to military interdiction — that crews on legitimately operating commercial vessels do not face. The three deaths highlight the human cost of this gray-zone employment.
India's Maritime Workforce and DGTS Regulatory Framework
India's maritime workforce is governed primarily by the Directorate General of Shipping (DGS), operating under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways. The Merchant Shipping Act, 1958 is the principal legislation governing Indian-flagged vessels and the certification and employment of Indian seafarers.
Key Details
- India currently has over 300,000 trained seafarers (up from 103,000 in 2013), ranking third globally after the Philippines and China.
- India holds approximately 12% of the global seafaring workforce of 1.9 million — the government's Maritime India Vision 2030 targets raising this share to at least 20%.
- The Merchant Shipping Act, 1958 (and its amendments) sets out obligations of ship owners toward crew welfare, safe manning standards, and repatriation of distressed seafarers.
- The DGS is India's Maritime Administration (Flag State Authority), responsible for implementing IMO (International Maritime Organization) conventions domestically.
India's rapidly growing seafarer base increasingly represents a pool of skilled workers attractive to shadow fleet operators, particularly at a time when legitimate shipping routes through the Persian Gulf face disruption. The DGS advisory reflects the Flag State's duty-of-care obligations under the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC 2006).
India's Energy Security and Crude Oil Import Dependence
India imports approximately 88–89% of its crude oil requirements, representing around $140 billion annually (2025–26) — making it one of the most import-dependent major economies in the world. The Strait of Hormuz is a critical chokepoint through which a substantial share of India's crude imports transits.
The disruption to Strait of Hormuz shipping and the US blockade of Iranian ports directly threaten India's energy supply chains. The shadow fleet, for all its legal risks, was serving as a channel for Indian refineries to continue accessing Iranian crude at discounted prices — a channel now under direct military interdiction.
UNCLOS and Freedom of Navigation: Transit Passage Rights
The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), signed in 1982 and in force from 1994, is the foundational international legal framework governing maritime rights. India ratified UNCLOS in 1995.
India's call for "unimpeded navigation" through the Strait of Hormuz is grounded in UNCLOS transit passage rights, which are legally stronger (non-suspendable) than innocent passage rights. The military targeting of commercial vessels in international shipping lanes challenges core UNCLOS principles and sets a precedent India views as contrary to international maritime law.
- Indian seafarers globally: approximately 350,000 (2026) — 12% of the global maritime workforce of 1.9 million
- India's ranking among seafarer-supplying nations: 3rd (after Philippines and China)
- Shadow fleet size (2025 estimate): ~1,140 tankers, over 18% of the global oil tanker fleet
- Incidents in June 2026: MT Marivex (June 8), MT Settebello (June 10), MT Jalveer (June 11–12)
- Indian deaths confirmed: at least 3 (from MT Settebello strike); 65+ rescued across incidents
- US naval blockade on Iran: implemented 13 April 2026
- India's crude oil import dependence: ~89.4% of total crude supply (FY 2024–25)
- Oil transiting Strait of Hormuz (pre-crisis): ~20 million barrels/day — ~25% of global seaborne oil trade
- Merchant Shipping Act: 1958 (primary legislation for Indian maritime regulation)
- UNCLOS ratification by India: 1995