India has directed ship owners, ship managers and recruitment companies not to deploy Indian seafarers on board ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz as tensions between the US and Iran continue to escalate, the Directorate General of Maritime Administration (DGMA) said in an order issued on Wednesday.
India is the world’s third-largest supplier of seafarers, with more than 300,000 seafarers working on ships worldwide, according to government data. The move comes after two Indian sailors were killed in separate attacks on ships in the region over the past three days. Follow live updates of the US-Iran war here.
Notification of the Center to ship owners and ship managers
In its order dated Wednesday (July 15, 2026), the Directorate General of Ship Management has instructed shipowners, ship managers and recruitment companies not to deploy Indian seafarers on board ships traveling through the Strait of Hormuz until further orders.
“The companies have been directed to avoid deploying Indian sailors on board ships undertaking voyages involving passage through the Strait of Hormuz until further orders,” the notice said.
The shipping regulator said recent attacks on commercial ships had “significantly” increased the risks to seafarers working in the conflict-affected region.
“In view of the heightened security situation in the Persian Gulf region… the Directorate deems it necessary to take enhanced precautionary measures to protect the interests of Indian seafarers working on board vessels operating in the region,” the order said.
The regulatory body also asked ship captains to remain alert to the security situation in the Arabian Gulf, the Strait of Hormuz and nearby waters, and to monitor navigational warnings on an ongoing basis.
“DGMA continues to closely monitor the evolving security situation and remains committed to protecting the safety, security and welfare of Indian seafarers,” the notice added.
2 Indian sailors were killed in the recent attacks
Authorities said two Indian nationals, 31-year-old Rohan Kumar from Bihar’s Gopalganj district, and 30-year-old Hirambah Karmarkar from Pune, were killed in two separate attacks on ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz.
Kumar was killed in missile attacks on two UAE oil tankers, MT Mombasa and MT Al Bahia, in the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday.
“An official has been specially sent to the family of the deceased to initiate paperwork to return the body,” District Magistrate (DM) Sameer Saurabh told HT earlier while confirming his death.
The Indian Consulate in Dubai said that Karmarkar went missing after an attack on the cargo ship MV GFS Galaxy off the coast of Oman, before his death was confirmed.
“We express our deepest condolences on the tragic death of an Indian national due to the attack on the merchant ship MV GFS Galaxy on July 12, 2026,” the mission said in a post on the X website.
On Tuesday, Iranian Deputy Chief of Mission Mohammad Javad Hosseini was summoned by the Ministry of External Affairs, where Anand Prakash, Joint Secretary handling the Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iran Department, lodged a strong protest over the incident.
