<p>India has reportedly seized three US-sanctioned oil tankers linked to <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/iran">Iran</a> this month and heightened surveillance in its maritime zone to constrain illegal trade.</p><p><em>Reuters</em> citing a source reports that the seizures and increased surveillance follow developments in US-India relations as earlier this month. Washington had announced that it will cut import tariffs on goods to 18 per cent from the previously announced 50 per cent, after they claimed New Delhi agreed to stop Russian oil imports.</p><p>India aims to prevent its waters from being used for ship-to-ship transfers that confuse the origin of oil cargoes, the source with direct knowledge of the matter informed the publication. </p>.Iran’s protests have ended, but the anger and pain have not.<p>The three sanctioned vessels - Stellar Ruby, Asphalt Star and Al Jafzia - frequently changed their identities to evade authorities by coastal states, the source told <em>Reuters</em>, adding that their owners were based overseas.</p><p>Iranian state media quoted the National Iranian Oil Company as saying that the three tankers seized had no connection to the company. It said that neither the vessels nor the cargoes were linked to the company.</p><p>On February 6 (Friday), authorities had said in a post on X that they intercepted three vessels about 100 nautical miles west of Mumbai after detecting suspicious activity involving a tanker in the nation's exclusive economic zone.</p><p>The post was deleted later, but the source confirmed that the vessels had been escorted to Mumbai for further investigation.</p><p>The Indian Coast Guard has since deployed about 55 ships and between 10 and 12 aircraft for round-the-clock surveillance in its maritime zones, according to the source.</p><p>The US Office of Foreign Assets Control said last year it had sanctioned three vessels, called Global Peace, Chil 1, and Glory Star 1, with IMO numbers identical to the ships lately captured.</p><p>Two of the three tankers are linked to Iran, with Al Jafzia having carried fuel oil from Iran to Djibouti in 2025 and Stellar Ruby flagged in Iran, according to LSEG data.</p><p>The Asphalt Star mostly operated on voyages around China, the data show.</p><p>Sanctioned oil and fuel are often sold at deep discounts due to the risks involved, with intermediaries moving cargo through complex ownership structures, false documentation and mid-sea transfers that complicate enforcement.</p>
<p>India has reportedly seized three US-sanctioned oil tankers linked to <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/iran">Iran</a> this month and heightened surveillance in its maritime zone to constrain illegal trade.</p><p><em>Reuters</em> citing a source reports that the seizures and increased surveillance follow developments in US-India relations as earlier this month. Washington had announced that it will cut import tariffs on goods to 18 per cent from the previously announced 50 per cent, after they claimed New Delhi agreed to stop Russian oil imports.</p><p>India aims to prevent its waters from being used for ship-to-ship transfers that confuse the origin of oil cargoes, the source with direct knowledge of the matter informed the publication. </p>.Iran’s protests have ended, but the anger and pain have not.<p>The three sanctioned vessels - Stellar Ruby, Asphalt Star and Al Jafzia - frequently changed their identities to evade authorities by coastal states, the source told <em>Reuters</em>, adding that their owners were based overseas.</p><p>Iranian state media quoted the National Iranian Oil Company as saying that the three tankers seized had no connection to the company. It said that neither the vessels nor the cargoes were linked to the company.</p><p>On February 6 (Friday), authorities had said in a post on X that they intercepted three vessels about 100 nautical miles west of Mumbai after detecting suspicious activity involving a tanker in the nation's exclusive economic zone.</p><p>The post was deleted later, but the source confirmed that the vessels had been escorted to Mumbai for further investigation.</p><p>The Indian Coast Guard has since deployed about 55 ships and between 10 and 12 aircraft for round-the-clock surveillance in its maritime zones, according to the source.</p><p>The US Office of Foreign Assets Control said last year it had sanctioned three vessels, called Global Peace, Chil 1, and Glory Star 1, with IMO numbers identical to the ships lately captured.</p><p>Two of the three tankers are linked to Iran, with Al Jafzia having carried fuel oil from Iran to Djibouti in 2025 and Stellar Ruby flagged in Iran, according to LSEG data.</p><p>The Asphalt Star mostly operated on voyages around China, the data show.</p><p>Sanctioned oil and fuel are often sold at deep discounts due to the risks involved, with intermediaries moving cargo through complex ownership structures, false documentation and mid-sea transfers that complicate enforcement.</p>
