For 26-year-old Ambuj, an Indian sailor stranded in the Iranian port of Bandar Abbas, the “new normal” involves the constant, annoying buzz of fighter jets, and a terrifying new skill at spotting drones from the deck of his merchant ship. Ambuj is just one of hundreds of Indian nationals working on various ships across the wider Gulf region who now find themselves on the front lines of the conflict since the US and Israel attacked Iran, with the latter retaliating.
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“We know how dangerous it is to sail without a naval escort or without permission,” Ambuj told Reuters news agency, describing the state of high alert that has been ongoing for more than two weeks.
His crew first panicked in early March when their captain received a radio warning from Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps that any attempt to pass through the Strait of Hormuz would have “consequences.”
“I haven’t been home for six months and I can’t wait to see my family,” said Ambuj, who is currently waiting alongside 15 other crew members and 50 other ships for safe passage that remains elusive.
“My company has relieved us of work and now we are waiting for safe passage because flights from Tehran are not operating,” he said. “If we get permission to sail to the Middle East or anywhere nearby, we will dock there and take the closest flight home.”
M Kanta, stationed on another ship bound for India, described how the crew’s “hearts sank” every time a drone or fighter jet passed overhead. It reached a breaking point when Iranian authorities ordered the crew’s Starlink internet service cut off.
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For days, sailors were cut off from their families and confirmed news, leaving only the sounds of sirens and the sight of flames on distant ships. Although internet service was restored after March 6, the atmosphere remains bleak. One crew member, who did not want to be identified and whose ship carries bitumen and crude oil, recalls the moment he saw a nearby ship collide with a drone a few nautical miles from the strait.
“Sleeping is difficult. There is a lot of anxiety. One of the hobbies these days is identifying planes, jets or drones that we can spot from the ship,” he said.
The Indian Ministry of External Affairs has confirmed that five Indians have been killed and one person is still missing in the conflict in West Asia.
Against this backdrop of fear, a breakthrough occurred on Saturday morning. The Indian government has confirmed that two LPG-carrying ships bound for India – Shivalik and Nanda Devi – have successfully crossed the Strait of Hormuz.
The vessels, chartered by the Indian Oil Corporation (IOC), carry a combined 92,700 tonnes of LPG, which is crucial amid concerns over domestic supplies.
Rajesh Kumar Sinha, Special Secretary of the Ministry of Shipping, said in a press conference that the two ships are now heading towards the ports of Mundra and Kandla in western India in the state of Gujarat, where they are expected to dock on March 16 and 17.
More than 20 other ships flying the Indian flag are still stationed west of the strait, awaiting a similar permit. External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said New Delhi is “in constant touch with key stakeholders” to ensure “safe and unhindered transit” of these remaining vessels.
Iranian officials in New Delhi have tried to show a cooperative stance. Dr. Abdul Majeed Hakim Elahi, the Iranian Supreme Leader’s representative in India, told IRNA that the Iranian embassy “tried to provide an opportunity” for Indian ships to cross. He reiterated that Iran considers India a friend, a view echoed by Iranian Ambassador Mohammad Fatahli, who spoke of the “shared destiny” between the two countries.
However, Elahi also rejected US President Donald Trump’s suggestions for negotiations to end the conflict, stating that Iran is “ready to continue this war until the end, even for five years.” He insisted that Iran considered the conflict “imposed on it” and would continue to defend its territory.
The Strait of Hormuz is the world’s most vital sea lane, handling nearly 20% of the world’s seaborne oil and liquefied natural gas supplies.
For India, which is the world’s third-largest supplier of seafarers with more than 300,000 seafarers in global fleets, the safety of its maritime workforce is as important as its energy imports.
