The Indian government has directed shipping companies to avoid deploying Indian seafarers on vessels traversing the Strait of Hormuz due to heightened security risks following a series of attacks on commercial ships in the region.

These attacks, attributed to renewed tensions between the United States and Iran, have resulted in the deaths of at least 13 Indian sailors since the conflict in West Asia began on February 28.

The Directorate General of Maritime Administration (DGMA) issued guidelines urging ship operators to enhance security measures, monitor navigational warnings, and comply with international safety protocols.

Recently, an Indian seafarer went missing after a Cyprus-flagged ship was attacked off Oman, and another sailor was confirmed killed in a separate Iranian attack on two vessels.The government plans to establish a real-time dashboard to track Indian seafarers in conflict zones, as over 3.1 lakh Indians work on merchant ships globally.This decision underscores India's growing maritime security concerns amid geopolitical instability in the Persian Gulf.