India pushes for consular access for 16 Indian crew members detained in Iran

The Embassy of India in Tehran on Saturday urged Iranian authorities to provide consular access to the 16 Indian crew members who were detained on MT Valiant Roar.

In a statement the Embassy said, "Around mid-December 2025, Mission was informed about the detention of the vessel MT Valiant Roar by Iranian authorities, with 16 Indian crew-members on board. The Consulate of India in Bandar Abbas immediately (on 14 December) wrote to the Government of Iran seeking Consular Access to the crew."

The Consulate said that they have established contact with the UAE-based company that owns the ship and have been in touch with Iran-based agents of the company in order to ensure that food, water and fuel are provided for the ship. Moreover, they also urged the company to arrange legal representation for the crew in Iranian courts.

"Upon being informed by the ship of depleting food and water stocks, the Mission intervened with the Iranian navy to arrange emergency supplies of food and water in early January. The Indian Consulate in Dubai has also been pressing upon the ship-owning company to ensure legal representation and regular supplies of provisions to the ship, " the statement read.

It also added, "The matter is expected to be subject to judicial process in Iran. However, the Mission and the Consulate continue to press the Iranian authorities to grant early consular access to the crew, and to ensure expeditious completion of the judicial proceedings."

The statement from the embassy comes after the father of an engineer, who was among the 16 crew urged Indian authorities to intervene to free his son from detention.

Mukesh Mehta appealed to the Government of India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and the Directorate General of Shipping to urgently intervene and take immediate diplomatic action to ensure the safe and early release of his son and other crew members.