India Readies to Scale Up Crew Repatriation

India is preparing to ramp up efforts to repatriate seafarers from West Asia amid a sharp rise in maritime security incidents, including recent attacks on tankers in the Gulf of Oman and the Strait of Hormuz that have put Indian crews on commercial vessels at risk. The Shipping Ministry, through the Directorate General of Shipping (DG Shipping), has been coordinating with the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Indian embassies in the region and foreign authorities to ensure safe evacuation and return of Indian seafarers.

The ministry has already facilitated the safe repatriation of more than 1,927 Indian seafarers so far, including crews from vessels affected by detention, abandonment and security incidents overseas. In a recent case, the Indian Embassy in Muscat coordinated with the Royal Navy of Oman to evacuate all 20 Indian seafarers from MT Jalveer, a vessel that reportedly came under attack off Shinas Port in Oman, with all crew reported safe. At the same time, three Indian sailors remain missing after a US strike on MT Settebello in the Gulf of Oman, underscoring the growing threat to Indian crews in the region.

DG Shipping has reaffirmed its commitment to safeguarding the safety, dignity and timely repatriation of every Indian seafarer, with mechanisms for diplomatic coordination, legal support and emergency intervention firmly in place. The ministry highlighted that all Indian seafarers currently in the West Asia region are safe, and there has been no incident involving an Indian-flagged vessel in the past 24 hours.

The government is also reviewing cases of Indian seafarers facing detention and abandonment overseas, including recent successes in repatriating crews from vessels such as Valient Roar, MT Kashi and Reem Akheelej, where sailors were detained onboard. As maritime security incidents rise in West Asia, India is expected to continue scaling up repatriation capacity, maintain high-level coordination with regional authorities, and ensure that seafarers and their families receive timely support.