According to sources, the Indian Navy warships are on standby to provide assistance or help required by merchant vessels.
A merchant vessel, with around 20 Indian crew, was hit by a suspected drone about 217 nautical miles off the Porbandar coast in the Arabian Sea on Saturday but there was no report of any casualties in the incident, Indian military sources and a maritime security agency said.
The family of Captain Rakesh Ranjan, who died on a merchant vessel near the Strait of Hormuz, is seeking assistance from the Indian government to repatriate his body. They claim the ship was stranded due to the West Asia conflict and are urging authorities to expedite the process and ensure the release of his financial dues.
Two Indian nationals have been confirmed dead and one is missing following attacks on merchant vessels amidst the ongoing conflict in West Asia. The Indian government has reiterated its commitment to the welfare of its citizens in the Gulf region.
The diplomatic intervention follows various media reports which attributed comments to Iranian lawmaker Alaeddin Boroujerdi, suggesting that merchant vessels were being charged USD 2 million for safe passage through the "conflict-hit Hormuz."
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has engaged in multiple conversations with his Iranian counterpart to secure safe passage for Indian merchant vessels through the Strait of Hormuz amidst escalating tensions in West Asia.
The Indian government has refuted reports suggesting a deal with Iran involving the release of seized oil tankers in exchange for safe passage of Indian vessels through the Strait of Hormuz.
Addressing the 36th extraordinary session of the Council of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) held on Thursday in London, the Indian envoy said, "India remains deeply concerned about the evolving situation and continues to call for de-escalation through dialogue and diplomacy, with utmost restraint and priority being given to the safety of civilians."
A Navy vessel thwarted an attack on an Indian merchant vessel, MV Desh Rakshak, in the action undertaken by the Indian Navy in its ongoing operation to counter piracy in the Arabian Sea. The attack on the merchant vessel, MV Desh Rakshak, was thwarted by INS Sukanya on Wednesday, a Navy release said.
The container ship SELEN, en route to Karachi, was denied passage by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy due to lack of permission and failure to coordinate with Iranian maritime authorities.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has refuted reports suggesting a deal with Iran involving the release of seized vessels in exchange for safe passage of Indian ships through the Strait of Hormuz.
The fresh incident comes amid growing global concerns over attacks on various commercial vessels in the Red Sea by the Houthi militants.
The chairman of maritime company Safesea Group has described the attack on the US-owned crude oil tanker Safesea Vishnu, which resulted in the death of an Indian crew member, as "deliberate and calculated". He emphasised the need for governments to ensure the safety of commercial shipping lanes and seafarers.
The missing seafarer has been identified as Sarthak Mahapatra, a native of Kespur in Bhadrak district.
The US torpedo attack on the Iranian warship IRIS Dena in international waters was a lawful act of war between belligerents, not a diplomatic or strategic embarrassment for India, asserts Vice Admiral Biswajit Dasgupta (retd).
An Indian national was killed in a missile attack on Riyadh, bringing the total number of Indian fatalities in the West Asia conflict to six. The Indian embassy in Riyadh has expressed condolences and is providing assistance to the family.
24 Indian-flagged vessels with 677 Indian seafarers were currently located west of the Strait of Hormuz, and four vessels with 101 Indian seafarers were stationed east of the strategic waterway.
'We are getting used to the constant alerts to take shelter, listening to sonic booms from jets flying above us, hearing news of neighbouring ports being targeted, and being the only ship in the terminal.'
The vessel sank on March 4, 2026, approximately 20 nautical miles west of Galle, after reportedly being struck by a torpedo from a United States submarine.
Expressing concern over the seizure of a merchant vessel with unauthorised arms and ammunition in Indian waters, the Bharatiya Janata Party on Tuesday sought to know why the government is "silent" on the details and suggested the issue of piracy be taken seriously post-26/11.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump discussed the Middle East crisis, with a focus on the Strait of Hormuz.
With the Iran war escalating sharply and crisis deepening in the global energy market, India on Monday unveiled a coordinated plan to support exporters and shippers caught in the fallout.
If the oil infrastructure is attacked by the United States, the whole area could be flooded with oil, spilling into the Persian Gulf.
'India was not obliged to protect the Iranian ship.' 'Once the Iranian ship left Indian waters, she was on her own.' 'Guilt tripping India is wrong.'
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has confirmed the deaths of six Indian nationals and one missing person amidst the escalating conflict in West Asia, detailing ongoing efforts for repatriation and diplomatic engagement.
An Indian Navy warship successfully intercepted a fleeing Bahamas-flag merchant vessel off the Diu coast after being pursued for a couple of hours on Tuesday.
The UN Security Council, with India's support, has adopted a resolution condemning Iran's attacks on Gulf Cooperation Council countries and Jordan, demanding an immediate cessation of hostilities and denouncing threats to the Strait of Hormuz.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar addressed the Rajya Sabha on India's position regarding the escalating conflict in West Asia, emphasising the need for peace, dialogue, and the safety of civilians, while also prioritising India's energy security and trade interests.
The Navy said on Friday that the safety of the crew held hostage by armed pirates was ascertained and the Indian Navy warship continued to maintain its presence in the close vicinity of the vessel till its arrival in the territorial waters of Somalia.
According to officials, the Indian Navy has opened an investigation into whether the drone used to attack the vessel was launched from long range or from a nearby vessel.
An investigation into the disappearance of a merchant navy cadet off the Sri Lankan coast reveals his last known location and details of the search efforts.
India is strengthening the naval component of its nuclear triad with Navy Chief Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi on Tuesday saying that the third indigenous nuclear-powered submarine 'Aridaman' will be commissioned soon and that his force is focusing on boosting its overall combat prowess.
The Indian Coast Guard has rescued 12 crew members of a merchant vessel from the country which sank in the north Arabian Sea during its voyage from Porbandar in Gujarat to Bandar Abbas port in Iran, officials said on Thursday.
Of the 22 crew members on board the ship, MV Wan Hai 503, 18 have abandoned the vessel and are being rescued by Indian Navy and Coast Guard assets, he said.
The fire on a merchant vessel off the Karwar coast has been brought under control after more than 24 hours but one of the ship's 21 crew members was missing, the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) said on Saturday.
Names and names and names and names... 329 in all. Some Indian. Some Canadian. Some British. Berry. Gupta. Jain. James. Bhatt. Beauchesne. Chatlani. Enayati. Lougheed.... Vaihayasi Pande Daniel visits Ahakista, Ireland, home to the memorial for the worst terrorist atrocity in India's history.
The Indian Navy on Saturday said its guided missile destroyer INS Visakhapatnam has deployed a team to help fire-fighting efforts on board British oil tanker MV Marlin Luanda which has got 22 Indian and one Bangladeshi crew members.
Indian Navy's destroyer INS Kochi responded following the attack on the vessel, MV Andromeda Star, on April 26, officials said, adding all the crew members are safe.
The Indian Navy rescued an Iranian-flagged fishing vessel with 19 Pakistani crew members and a Sri Lankan trawler in two swift operations after armed pirates hijacked the boats in the Arabian Sea amid deteriorating security situation arising out of Iran-backed Houthi rebels targeting various cargo ships in the region.
Minister of State for Defence Ajay Bhatt said in Lok Sabha the Navy deployed its units in the Gulf of Aden and East coast of Africa towards anti-piracy patrols since 2008 and a total of 3,440 ships and over 25,000 seafarers have been "safely escorted".
© 2026 Rediff.com - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Sitemap - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances