India Bans Sailors from Serving in Strait of Hormuz Amid US-Iran Conflict

The Indian government has officially banned its citizens working as seafarers from serving on ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz. The policy was adopted following an escalation in attacks on commercial vessels in the strategic shipping lane, which endanger crew safety. The Directorate General of Shipping of India has issued firm instructions to ship owners, ship managers, and certification companies. In the instructions, the authority prohibits the placement of Indian crew members for voyages passing through the Strait of Hormuz until further notice. Through an official statement on platform X, the Indian shipping authority stressed the importance of heightened vigilance in the Persian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz, and surrounding waters. “No placement of Indian seafarers on vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz until further notice,” the statement read. In addition to the placement ban, the Indian government has asked all relevant parties to continuously monitor navigational warnings and the latest security information. Ship operators have been instructed to strictly implement the International Ship and Port Facility Security Code (ISPS Code). The Directorate General of Shipping of India also requires that any emergency be reported immediately so it can be handled according to applicable procedures. This preventive measure was taken amid mounting tensions between the United States and Iran in the region. The security situation in the Strait of Hormuz has deteriorated despite the US and Iran having previously agreed to a memorandum of understanding mediated by Pakistan. The peace effort has not yet been able to halt the exchange of attacks in international waters. The latest incident this week recorded the death of an Indian national after two tankers owned by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) were hit by an Iranian attack while transiting the shipping lane south of the Strait of Hormuz in Omani waters. The ban policy is expected to minimise the risk of further casualties among Indian migrant workers, who dominate the global maritime sector.