By: The Trek News Desk
In a significant maritime enforcement operation, the Indian Coast Guard has seized three oil tankers linked to Iran that are under U.S. sanctions. The vessels were intercepted nearly 100 nautical miles west of Mumbai after authorities detected suspicious activity within India’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).
According to sources familiar with the development, India has intensified surveillance across its maritime boundaries to prevent illegal oil movements, particularly ship-to-ship transfers used to conceal the origin of petroleum cargo.
The vessels identified as Stellar Ruby, Asphalt Star, and Al Jafzia were reportedly operating under U.S. sanctions. Officials indicated that the ships frequently altered their names and identification details in an attempt to avoid scrutiny by coastal enforcement agencies. The ownership of the tankers is believed to be linked to overseas entities.
On February 6, Indian authorities briefly shared details of the interception on social media platform X, stating that the ships were stopped following suspicious movements involving a tanker within Indian waters. Although the post was later removed, sources confirmed that the vessels were escorted to Mumbai for further investigation.
Iranian state media, quoting the National Iranian Oil Company, stated that neither the seized vessels nor their cargo had any connection to the company.
The development comes at a time when diplomatic and trade relations between India and the United States have seen a positive shift. Earlier this month, Washington reduced import tariffs on Indian goods from 50% to 18% after New Delhi agreed to halt imports of Russian crude oil.
Sources added that the Coast Guard has significantly expanded maritime monitoring operations, deploying approximately 55 ships and between 10 and 12 aircraft to ensure round-the-clock surveillance across strategic sea lanes.
Last year, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control imposed sanctions on three vessels, Global Peace, Chil 1, and Glory Star 1, whose International Maritime Organisation (IMO) numbers reportedly match those of the ships recently seized by Indian authorities.
Available maritime data suggests that two of the detained tankers have links to Iran. Al Jafzia reportedly transported fuel oil from Iran to Djibouti in 2025, while Stellar Ruby was flagged under Iran. Asphalt Star primarily operated along routes connected to China.
Sanctioned oil is often traded at steep discounts due to associated legal and financial risks. Intermediaries typically rely on complex ownership structures, falsified documentation, and mid-sea cargo transfers to obscure the true source of shipments, complicating enforcement efforts.
The Indian Coast Guard’s action is being viewed as a strong message against unlawful maritime trade. Authorities are expected to continue investigations before determining further legal measures against the vessels and their cargo.
Source: News Agencies
