India Seizes Three US-Sanctioned Tankers Linked to Iran, Boosts Maritime Surveillance

• India seized three US-sanctioned tankers (Stellar Ruby, Asphalt Star, Al Jafzia) this month, allegedly linked to Iran.
• Vessels were intercepted 100 nautical miles west of Mumbai due to suspicious activity, including attempts to obscure oil origin via ship-to-ship transfers.
• The crackdown aims to prevent illicit oil trade within India's exclusive economic zone and comes amid improving India-US ties.
• Tankers frequently changed identities to evade detection; Indian Coast Guard deployed 55 ships and 10-12 aircraft for round-the-clock surveillance.
• US Treasury previously sanctioned vessels with identical IMO numbers; shipping data links two tankers to Iran.