Indian Coast Guard seizes 3 Iranian oil tankers

India’s reaction after 16 Indian sailors were detained two months earlier ?

New Delhi – India and Iran have maintained good relations for many decades; however, several significant developments have occurred in the past month. On December 8th last year, the oil tanker ‘Valiant Roar’ was pursued by the Iranian navy, and 16 Indian sailors on board were arrested. Now, two days ago, the Indian Coast Guard intercepted three Iranian-linked vessels in the Arabian Sea. These vessels have been brought to Mumbai port. With nearly two months having passed since the Iranian navy’s action and the Indian nationals still not released, the question arises whether India has retaliated against Iran by seizing these oil tankers.

India strikes back! 🇮🇳⚓

In a major move following the arrest of 16 Indian sailors two months ago, the Indian Coast Guard has seized 3 Iranian oil tankers. 🚢🚫

A strong message on maritime security and protecting our citizens. ⚖️💪#IndianCoastGuard #MaritimeSecurity… pic.twitter.com/AhWacp0saH

— Sanatan Prabhat (@SanatanPrabhat) February 9, 2026

According to the Coast Guard’s statement, this operation is related to large-scale maritime smuggling, and these vessels were illegally smuggling oil in violation of international law. The names of these vessels are reportedly ‘AL Jafzia’, ‘Asphalt Star’, and ‘Stellar Ruby’. All three vessels were under US sanctions.

On 06 Feb 26, @IndiaCoastGuard busted an International oil-smuggling racket in a meticulously coordinated sea–air operation. The syndicate exploited mid-sea transfers in international waters to move cheap oil from conflict ridden regions to motor tankers, evading duties owed to… pic.twitter.com/erJ31U4xyH

— Indian Coast Guard (@IndiaCoastGuard) February 7, 2026

1. The exact number of crew members on the three seized oil tankers has not yet been announced; however, it is estimated that there are usually 15 to 25 crew members on a single oil tanker. Based on this, there are likely 46 to 75 crew members (employees and officers) across all three vessels.

2. Information on how many of them are Iranian, Indian, or from other countries is currently unavailable. Due to the US sanctions, it is speculated that most of the crew members on these vessels are likely Iranian citizens.