India on Friday confirmed that seven Indian-flagged ships are currently operating in the Persian Gulf, as tensions in the region continue to raise concerns
over maritime safety. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said it is closely monitoring the situation, especially given the large number of Indian seafarers working across West Asia. Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, in a press conference on Friday, said, "As you all know, there is regular maritime traffic between India and the Persian Gulf region. We have seven Indian-flagged ships operating in the Persian Gulf." Responding to concerns following a recent DGMA advisory, Jaiswal said that ensuring the safety of Indian seafarers remains a top priority. "I have also seen the advisory. As you know, the situation in West Asia remains unstable, and it has been issued keeping that in view. A large number of Indian seafarers work in the region, and it is our responsibility to ensure their safety and alert them to potential risks. You asked how many Indian seafarers have been affected by the conflict. I do not have the exact number of seafarers at this moment, but I can tell you that, so far, 14 Indian nationals have lost their lives in the conflict in West Asia and two Indian nationals remain missing. I will share the exact number of affected seafarers after this press conference," he said.
Delhi: MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal says, "As you know, the situation in West Asia is not good. Keeping this in mind, this advisory has been issued. As you know, there are a large number of Indians in the seafaring community, and it is our responsibility to keep them informed… pic.twitter.com/vmgkrOEtth
— IANS (@ians_india) July 17, 2026
The Directorate General of Maritime Administration (DGMA) directed shipowners, ship managers and Recruitment and Placement Service Licence companies to avoid deploying Indian seafarers on vessels undertaking voyages through the Strait of Hormuz until further orders.
Recently, two vessels -- MT Al Bahiyah and MT Mombasa -- had come under attack in the Strait of Hormuz. The two vessels together carried 30 Indian seafarers among a combined crew of 46. One Indian seafarer lost his life while another sustained injuries aboard MT Al Bahiyah. On MT Mombasa, nine Indian nationals were injured.
Shipping Minister Sarbananda Sonowal asked the Directorate General of Shipping (DGS) to establish a comprehensive vessel-by-vessel operational dashboard to account for every Indian on each vessel, irrespective of its flag, operating in the Persian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz and Gulf of Oman, in a high-level inter-ministerial review meeting held in the national capital earlier this week.
The dashboard will provide real-time information on
- vessel position
- ownership
- cargo
- crew strength
- crew welfare
- threat assessment
- intended voyage
- next port of call
- the availability of facilities
The minister categorically directed that every Indian seafarer in the affected region must be individually accounted for.
