Mumbai: India has seized three oil tankers sanctioned by the United States and linked to Iran this month, while significantly stepping up maritime surveillance to curb illicit ship-to-ship oil transfers, according to a source familiar with the matter.
The vessels — Stellar Ruby, Asphalt Star and Al Jafzia — were intercepted about 100 nautical miles west of Mumbai after authorities detected suspicious activity within India’s exclusive economic zone. An earlier post by Indian authorities on X confirming the interception was later deleted, though the source said the ships were escorted to Mumbai for further investigation.
Officials indicated that the tankers frequently altered their identities to evade monitoring by coastal enforcement agencies. Their ownership structures are reportedly based overseas.
The action comes amid improving ties between India and the United States. Earlier this month, Washington announced a reduction in tariffs on Indian goods to 18 per cent from 50 per cent following New Delhi’s decision to halt imports of Russian oil.
Last year, the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned three vessels — Global Peace, Chil 1 and Glory Star 1 — whose IMO numbers match those of the ships recently detained by Indian authorities.
Iranian state media, citing the National Iranian Oil Company, stated that the seized vessels and their cargoes have no connection to the company.
Data from LSEG indicate that two of the detained tankers have links to Iran. Al Jafzia reportedly transported Iranian fuel oil to Djibouti in 2025, while Stellar Ruby was flagged in Iran. Asphalt Star, meanwhile, primarily operated on routes connected to China.
To strengthen enforcement, the Indian Coast Guard has deployed around 55 ships and between 10 and 12 aircraft for continuous monitoring of India’s maritime zones.
Sanctioned oil shipments are often sold at steep discounts due to the risks involved, typically routed through complex ownership chains, falsified documentation and mid-sea transfers designed to obscure cargo origins.
