India calls for halt to sending crews to work on ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz

India has urged local shipowners and companies employing seafarers to halt the deployment of crews to work on vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz, amid escalating tensions between the United States and Iran.

The United States launched strikes on Iran this week, prompting Tehran to retaliate by targeting American interests in the Gulf, as the conflict over control of the Strait of Hormuz intensifies.

India is among the leading countries supplying seafarers to the global shipping sector, with more than 320,000 Indian seafarers employed in 2025, according to India’s Ministry of Shipping.

In a statement on Wednesday, the Directorate General of Shipping India called for a suspension of the deployment of Indian seafarers to vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz until further notice.

This directive followed confirmation by officials that at least two Indian seafarers were killed in attacks targeting commercial vessels last week.