The Indian Coast Guard has reportedly seized three oil tankers in the Arabian Sea, calling it a “coordinated operation against an international oil smuggling network”, according to Iranian media reports.
The move comes weeks after the government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi pulled out of the Chabahar port agreement with Iran. India reportedly withdrew after the United States imposed a 25% tariff on countries doing business with Tehran.
In a post on X, the Indian Coast Guard said it intercepted the vessels about 100 nautical miles west of Mumbai. It said the action followed “tech-enabled surveillance and data-pattern analysis”, without naming Iran.
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Tanker-tracking analysts and Iranian media, however, claimed the ships were linked to Iran. They said the vessels were allegedly involved in moving oil secretly across international waters.
According to the coast guard, the network used mid-sea transfers to move cheap oil from conflict-hit regions to motor tankers. This method, it said, helped smugglers avoid duties owed to coastal states.
Tanker-tracking firm Tanker Trackers identified the ships as Al Jafzia, Asphalt Star, and Stellar Ruby. The firm said all three vessels were under US sanctions and added that Stellar Ruby was operating under the Iranian flag.
On 06 Feb 26, @IndiaCoastGuard busted an International oil-smuggling racket in a meticulously coordinated sea–air operation. The syndicate exploited mid-sea transfers in international waters to move cheap oil from conflict ridden regions to motor tankers, evading duties owed to… pic.twitter.com/erJ31U4xyH
— Indian Coast Guard (@IndiaCoastGuard) February 7, 2026
Iranian media separately reported that the seized tankers were linked to Iran and were detained over oil smuggling allegations.
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The Indian Coast Guard said the vessels were known for “frequently changing their identities”. It added that the operation showed India’s role as “a net provider of maritime security and guardian of the rules-based international order.”
So far, neither Indian authorities nor Iranian officials have publicly commented on reports linking the seized ships directly to Iran.
