The Directorate General of Shipping, India, has announced the release of 10 Indian sailors, who were detained in Iran in July 2025 on an oil tanker. They have been released after ‘sustained diplomatic engagement’, a statement by the shipping authority said.

The Indian sailors were on the MV Harbour Phoenix when they were detained, arrested and kept in custody in Iran after the vessel’s interception near Jask Port in July 2025.

No specific reason was stated for their arrest. Iranian forces are known for intercepting ships which, according to them, ‘illegally transport fuel in the Gulf’.

Thousands of Indian sailors operate in Gulf shipping lanes as India’s merchant navy workforces are one of the largest in the world.

“The seafarers have now been released and reunited safely,” said the Directorate General of Shipping. “Necessary arrangements are being coordinated for the earliest return of the crew members to India.”

With New Delhi and Tehran having diplomatic ties, India’s quiet and firm stand during negotiations has worked in favour of the sailors’ release. – editor@nrifocus.com