Ten Indian sailors detained in Iran since July 2025 have been released after months of diplomatic efforts, India’s Directorate General of Shipping announced Tuesday. The crew members were aboard the MV Harbour Phoenix, an oil products tanker, when Iranian authorities intercepted the vessel near Jask Port.

The shipping authority confirmed that the sailors, who had been held following the vessel’s interception, have now been freed and safely reunited with their families. Arrangements are being made to facilitate their prompt return to India. Details surrounding the circumstances of their detention and the vessel’s activities were not disclosed by Indian officials. According to ship tracking information, the MV Harbour Phoenix is registered under the flag of Palau.

India and Iran maintain longstanding diplomatic and energy relations, though New Delhi also fosters strategic ties with the United States and Israel. Iranian forces regularly announce the interception of vessels they allege are engaged in unauthorized fuel transportation in the Gulf region.

Since early 2025, Iran has imposed restrictions on maritime shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical passage that typically handles approximately 20 percent of global oil and liquefied natural gas shipments. These restrictions followed a series of attacks by US and Israeli forces in the area on February 28.

India, the world’s third-largest crude oil importer, sources around half of its oil through the Strait of Hormuz, making the region vital to its energy security. The country’s large merchant navy workforce includes thousands of Indian sailors operating extensively in Gulf shipping lanes.

Throughout the detention period, India maintained a policy of discreet diplomacy and limited public statements, focusing on securing the release of its nationals without escalating tensions in the strategically sensitive Gulf region.