India’s Directorate General of Shipping issues a fresh advisory to placement and recruitment agencies restricting the deployment of Indian seafarers to conflict zones in the Gulf region. The guidance cites recent security incidents affecting merchant vessels carrying Indian crew members, including developments around the Strait of Hormuz and the Gulf of Oman that raise risk levels. The advisory follows a fatal incident in which a U.S. military strike off the Oman coast reportedly killed three Indian seafarers, according to one report.
Under the directive, agencies are told to stop placing seafarers in conflict-affected areas. The advisory also instructs ships operating in the Gulf region to maintain heightened security vigilance. Crew changes are permitted only in emergencies, and any such changes require crew consent. The measures are presented as a precautionary response to the pattern of incidents and escalating safety concerns for merchant vessels and their Indian personnel in and around key maritime chokepoints in the region.
