In Focus-Parley | Should Indian seafarers stop serving on sanctioned ships?

In Focus by The Hindu · Jun 25, 2026 · 43m

While merchant ships across the world have been manned by Indian seafarers, officers, engineers and crew for years, recent conflicts have suddenly brought Indian seafarers into focus. A recent flashpoint was when the U.S. attacked three ships allegedly carrying Iranian cargo, on the grounds that they were sanctioned vessels. Three Indian seafarers were killed in those attacks.

More recently, when the British detained a Russian-linked vessel that was supposedly under Western sanctions in the English Channel, the Indian captain was arrested. This raises an important question: should Indian…