Do Not Deploy Indian Sailors: India Warns Shipping Firms After 13 Indians Killed In Gulf Conflict

India has directed shipping companies to immediately stop deploying Indian seafarers on vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz until further notice, citing a sharply deteriorating security situation in the Gulf. The advisory was issued late Wednesday by the Directorate General of Maritime Administration through Circular No. 36 of 2026 , addressed to ship owners, ship managers and Recruitment and Placement Service Licence companies.

The order followed Iranian strikes on two UAE flagged oil tankers, identified as MT Al Bahiyah and MT Mombasa , which Tehran alleged had ignored repeated navigation warnings and were engaged in illegal activities. The attacks killed two Indian seafarers, pushing the total number of Indian nationals killed in the Gulf since the conflict escalated in February to at least 13, prompting India to strongly condemn the strikes.

The Joint Maritime Information Center has reaffirmed the regional threat level for the strait as severe, warning that further deliberate hostile activity remains likely, following the near total collapse of the earlier US Iran ceasefire. The DGMA said it continues to closely monitor the evolving security situation and remains committed to safeguarding the safety, security and welfare of Indian seafarers. It further instructed maritime stakeholders to maintain heightened vigilance across the Persian Gulf , the Strait of Hormuz and adjoining waters, conduct detailed risk assessments before planning voyages, closely track navigational warnings, and strictly comply with the International Ship and Port Facility Security Code. Vessels facing emergencies have been asked to immediately contact the Information Fusion Centre Indian Ocean Region and the DG Communication Centre.

The advisory carries major weight for India's maritime workforce. India is the world's third largest supplier of seafarers, with more than 300,000 Indian sailors employed on merchant vessels globally, accounting for roughly 15 percent of the world's merchant shipping workforce. The Strait of Hormuz remains one of the world's most critical maritime chokepoints, handling nearly 20 percent of global oil supplies, and any prolonged disruption threatens significant ripple effects across international energy and trade markets. The renewed hostilities have already pushed oil prices back above 100 dollars a barrel, echoing the surge seen during the earlier phase of the conflict.

The DGMA had earlier launched a dedicated seafarer first initiative involving real time monitoring and round the clock coordination following the death of a ninth Indian sailor in a Hormuz attack, underscoring the scale of the mounting toll on India's seafaring community.