India Announces Release Of 10 Sailors Detained In Iran Since 2025

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New Delhi: India has confirmed the release of 10 Indian sailors who were detained in Iran after their oil tanker was intercepted near Jask Port in July 2025.

India’s Directorate General of Shipping said the crew members from the MV Harbour Phoenix were freed following what it described as sustained diplomatic efforts between New Delhi and Tehran. Officials said the sailors have now been reunited safely, with arrangements underway for their return to India.

The tanker, identified by shipping trackers as a Palau-flagged oil products vessel, was intercepted by Iranian authorities last year. India did not disclose further details regarding the legal grounds for the detention or the circumstances surrounding the vessel’s seizure.

Iranian forces have repeatedly announced the interception of ships in Gulf waters over allegations involving illegal fuel transportation and maritime violations.

The release comes amid continuing tensions in the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic global shipping route through which a large share of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas supplies pass. Iran has imposed restrictions on shipping activity in the area following regional military tensions involving the United States and Israel earlier this year.

India, one of the world’s largest oil importers, relies heavily on the Strait of Hormuz for crude oil supplies and also has one of the world’s largest merchant navy workforces operating across Gulf shipping routes.

New Delhi has largely handled the sailors’ case through quiet diplomatic engagement while maintaining its long-standing ties with Iran alongside close relations with the United States and Israel.