India Seeks Urgent Consular Access for 16 Indians Held on Seized Tanker MT Valiant Roar

New Delhi: New Delhi has urged Iranian authorities to provide consular access to 16 Indian crew members of an oil tanker seized last month and to expedite their judicial proceedings, the Indian embassy in Tehran said on Saturday. The Valiant Roar, a tanker owned by Dubai-based Glory International FZ-LLC, was boarded and seized by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) on December 8. Its crew included 16 Indians, a Bangladeshi, and a Sri Lankan, who were accused of smuggling fuel.The Indian embassy in Tehran stated that Iranian authorities had informed it of the vessel’s detention in mid-December. On December 14, the Indian consulate in Bandar Abbas formally requested consular access to the Indian crew members.“The request for consular access has been

repeatedly made since then, through both diplomatic correspondence and in-person meetings in Bandar Abbas and Tehran, including at the ambassadorial level,” the embassy added.

Embassy of India in Iran tweets, "Around mid-December 2025, Mission was informed about the detention of the vessel MT Valiant Roar by Iranian authorities, with 16 Indian crew-members on board. The Consulate of India in Bandar Abbas immediately (on 14 December) wrote to the… pic.twitter.com/rAgP25atmT

— ANI (@ANI) January 17, 2026

India has also urged Iranian authorities to permit the crew members to communicate with their families back home.“The matter is expected to be subject to judicial process in Iran. However, the mission and the consulate continue to press the Iranian authorities to grant early consular access to the crew, and to ensure expeditious completion of the judicial proceedings,” the statement said.The Indian consulate in Bandar Abbas has been coordinating with the UAE-based owner of the vessel and its Iran-based agents to ensure the crew receives food, water, and fuel, as well as to arrange legal representation in Iranian courts.Earlier this month, after being informed that supplies on the vessel were running low, the Indian embassy intervened with the Iranian Navy to facilitate emergency provisions.The Indian consulate in Dubai has also urged the vessel’s owner to provide legal representation and ensure a regular supply of provisions to the ship, the statement said.The mission issued the statement after relatives of the Indian crew members appealed to the Prime Minister for intervention in the matter.