India seizes 3 US-sanctioned ships linked to Iran near Mumbai: Report

India recently detained three oil tankers that were said to be sanctioned by the United States and have connectivity to Iran this month.

​In response, the National Iranian Oil Company denied any link to the three tankers.

​Following this, India has increased security across its maritime zone to monitor any suspicious activity related to illegal trade.

​The move confirms information from a February 6 X post, which was later removed by Indian authorities.

3 Ships Used False Identities to Evade Detection

According to sources, there were frequent changes in the identities of the three vessels, including Asphalt Star, Stellar Ruby, and AL Jafzia.

​It is said to be an attempt to evade coastal law enforcement. Additionally, the sources said their owners are based in other countries.

​A source says India doesn’t want its waters used for ship-to-ship transfers to obscure the origin of oil.

​The objection concerned the misuse of such transfers to evade sanctions and complicate cargo tracking.

​The seizures come at a time when the ties between the US and India are showing positive signs.

​This month, Washington decided to reduce its import tariffs on Indian goods to 18 per cent from 50 per cent post the New Delhi agreement to stop Russian oil imports.

Vessels Were Stopped at the Mumbai Coast

Indian authorities said in a now-deleted post that the three vessels were stopped about 100 nautical miles west of Mumbai after tanker activity seemed suspicious.

Authorities then escorted the vessels to Mumbai for further investigation.

​Quoting the National Iranian Oil Company, Iranian state media sharply denied any link to the seized cargoes and vessels by India.

India Tightens Security After Ship Seizures

According to a news source, following the seizure of ships suspected of illegal activity, the Indian Coast Guard has tightened security with round-the-clock surveillance across India’s maritime zones.

​Last year, the US Office of Foreign Assets Control stated about the sanctioning of three vessels - Global Peace, Glory Star 1, and Chil 1, with IMO ( International Maritime Organisation) numbers, similar to India’s recent seizure of ship activity.

​According to LSEG shipping data, two of the three tankers were connected to Iran. Where Al Jafzia transported fuel oil from Iran to Dijbouti in 2025, Stellar Ruby was registered under the Iranian flag. The third, Asphalt Star, primarily operated on routes across China.

​Typically, trading in sanctioned oil and fuel occurs at steep discounts due to the risk. Intermediaries primarily rely on complex ownership structures, fraudulent documentation, and mid-sea transfers to obscure the cargo's origin and evade enforcement scrutiny.

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