<p data-path-to-node="5" id="p-rc_5ac5c0593fe06ab9-140" style="font-family: &quot;Google Sans Text&quot;, sans-serif !important; line-height: 1.15 !important;"><span class="citation-335" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;">Amid a major military escalation between United States forces and Iran that has triggered fresh attacks on international merchant fleets, government maritime monitors have confirmed that </span><b data-path-to-node="5" data-index-in-node="206" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;">seven Indian-flagged merchant vessels</b><span class="citation-335 citation-end-335" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"> remain inside the Persian Gulf.<source-footnote ng-version="0.0.0-PLACEHOLDER" _nghost-ng-c1242759980="" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><sup _ngcontent-ng-c1242759980="" class="superscript" data-turn-source-index="1" style="line-height: 1.15 !important; font-size: 16px !important; background-color: transparent !important;"><!----></sup></source-footnote></span> <span class="citation-334 citation-end-334" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;">Positioned on the western side of the high-risk Strait of Hormuz before the latest wave of hostilities broke out, the ships are currently holding their positions or operating under strict security protocols until regional transit corridors stabilize.<source-footnote ng-version="0.0.0-PLACEHOLDER" _nghost-ng-c1242759980="" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><sup _ngcontent-ng-c1242759980="" class="superscript" data-turn-source-index="2" style="line-height: 1.15 !important; font-size: 16px !important; background-color: transparent !important;"><!----></sup></source-footnote></span><sources-carousel-inline ng-version="0.0.0-PLACEHOLDER" _nghost-ng-c2609785709="" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"> <source-inline-chip _ngcontent-ng-c2609785709="" _nghost-ng-c332896892="" class="ng-star-inserted" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----></source-inline-chip><!----><!----><!----></sources-carousel-inline></p><p data-path-to-node="6" style="font-family: &quot;Google Sans Text&quot;, sans-serif !important; line-height: 1.15 !important;">The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and the Directorate General of Shipping (DG Shipping) are tracking the fleet continuously, confirming that all <b data-path-to-node="6" data-index-in-node="150" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;">148 Indian seafarers</b> distributed across these vessels are completely safe with stable provisions.</p><h3 data-path-to-node="8" style="font-family: &quot;Google Sans&quot;, sans-serif !important; line-height: 1.15 !important;"><b data-path-to-node="8" data-index-in-node="0" style="font-family: &quot;Google Sans Text&quot;, sans-serif !important; line-height: 1.15 !important;">Vessels Avoiding Hydrocarbon Cargo; Extreme Caution Advised Following Deadlier Omani Coast Tanker Strikes</b></h3><p data-path-to-node="9" style="font-family: &quot;Google Sans Text&quot;, sans-serif !important; line-height: 1.15 !important;">The operational presence of the vessels highlights intense defensive tracking as regional maritime corridors face unprecedented drone and missile risk:</p><ul data-path-to-node="10" style="padding-inline-start: 32px; font-family: &quot;Google Sans Text&quot;, sans-serif !important; line-height: 1.15 !important;"><li style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><p data-path-to-node="10,0,0" id="p-rc_5ac5c0593fe06ab9-141" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><b data-path-to-node="10,0,0" data-index-in-node="0" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;">Current Fleet Composition:</b> <span class="citation-333" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;">The stranded domestic fleet consists of </span><b data-path-to-node="10,0,0" data-index-in-node="67" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;">five commercial cargo vessels and two container ships</b><span class="citation-333 citation-end-333" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;">.<source-footnote ng-version="0.0.0-PLACEHOLDER" _nghost-ng-c1242759980="" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><sup _ngcontent-ng-c1242759980="" class="superscript" data-turn-source-index="3" style="line-height: 1.15 !important; font-size: 16px !important; background-color: transparent !important;"><!----></sup></source-footnote></span> <span class="citation-332 citation-end-332" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;">To insulate immediate national energy security lines from local disruptions, trade ministries noted that none of the seven active vessels are currently transporting crude oil, liquefied natural gas (LNG), or chemical fertilizers destined for Indian discharge terminals.<source-footnote ng-version="0.0.0-PLACEHOLDER" _nghost-ng-c1242759980="" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><sup _ngcontent-ng-c1242759980="" class="superscript" data-turn-source-index="4" style="line-height: 1.15 !important; font-size: 16px !important; background-color: transparent !important;"><!----></sup></source-footnote></span><sources-carousel-inline ng-version="0.0.0-PLACEHOLDER" _nghost-ng-c2609785709="" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"> <source-inline-chip _ngcontent-ng-c2609785709="" _nghost-ng-c332896892="" class="ng-star-inserted" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----></source-inline-chip><!----><!----><!----></sources-carousel-inline></p></li><li style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><p data-path-to-node="10,1,0" id="p-rc_5ac5c0593fe06ab9-142" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><b data-path-to-node="10,1,0" data-index-in-node="0" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;">Escalating Threat Levels Near Hormuz:</b> The fleet's decision to remain anchored or utilize alternative sea lanes follows a series of highly volatile strikes. <span class="citation-331" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;">In the early hours of July 14, 2026, the merchant vessels </span><i data-path-to-node="10,1,0" data-index-in-node="214" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;">MT Al Bahyah</i><span class="citation-331" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"> and </span><i data-path-to-node="10,1,0" data-index-in-node="231" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;">MT Mombasa B</i><span class="citation-331 citation-end-331" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"> were struck by missiles within Omani territorial waters, resulting in the tragic death of one Indian national.<source-footnote ng-version="0.0.0-PLACEHOLDER" _nghost-ng-c1242759980="" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><sup _ngcontent-ng-c1242759980="" class="superscript" data-turn-source-index="5" style="line-height: 1.15 !important; font-size: 16px !important; background-color: transparent !important;"><!----></sup></source-footnote></span> <span class="citation-330" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;">This followed a prior drone strike on the Cyprus-flagged container carrier </span><i data-path-to-node="10,1,0" data-index-in-node="430" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;">GFS Galaxy</i><span class="citation-330 citation-end-330" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;">, which left another Indian sailor missing.<source-footnote ng-version="0.0.0-PLACEHOLDER" _nghost-ng-c1242759980="" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><sup _ngcontent-ng-c1242759980="" class="superscript" data-turn-source-index="6" style="line-height: 1.15 !important; font-size: 16px !important; background-color: transparent !important;"><!----></sup></source-footnote></span><sources-carousel-inline ng-version="0.0.0-PLACEHOLDER" _nghost-ng-c2609785709="" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"> <source-inline-chip _ngcontent-ng-c2609785709="" _nghost-ng-c332896892="" class="ng-star-inserted" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----></source-inline-chip><!----><!----><!----></sources-carousel-inline></p></li><li style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><p data-path-to-node="10,2,0" id="p-rc_5ac5c0593fe06ab9-143" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><b data-path-to-node="10,2,0" data-index-in-node="0" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;">New Delhi Lodges Strong Diplomatic Protest:</b> <span class="citation-329 citation-end-329" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;">Responding directly to the strikes which targeted crews containing a combined 30 Indian nationals the MEA summoned the Deputy Chief of Mission of the Iranian Embassy in New Delhi to lodge a sharp diplomatic protest against the actions of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).<source-footnote ng-version="0.0.0-PLACEHOLDER" _nghost-ng-c1242759980="" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><sup _ngcontent-ng-c1242759980="" class="superscript" data-turn-source-index="7" style="line-height: 1.15 !important; font-size: 16px !important; background-color: transparent !important;"><!----></sup></source-footnote></span> <span class="citation-328 citation-end-328" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;">The government emphasized that unprovoked attacks on commercial shipping lines violate free and unimpeded international navigation laws.<source-footnote ng-version="0.0.0-PLACEHOLDER" _nghost-ng-c1242759980="" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><sup _ngcontent-ng-c1242759980="" class="superscript" data-turn-source-index="8" style="line-height: 1.15 !important; font-size: 16px !important; background-color: transparent !important;"><!----></sup></source-footnote></span><sources-carousel-inline ng-version="0.0.0-PLACEHOLDER" _nghost-ng-c2609785709="" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"> <source-inline-chip _ngcontent-ng-c2609785709="" _nghost-ng-c332896892="" class="ng-star-inserted" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----></source-inline-chip><!----><!----><!----></sources-carousel-inline></p></li><li style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><p data-path-to-node="10,3,0" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><b data-path-to-node="10,3,0" data-index-in-node="0" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;">Exporters Brace for Soaring Surcharges:</b> While an Inter-Ministerial Group (IMG) has been re-activated to mitigate trade friction, Indian manufacturing exporters are facing Immediate logistical fallout. Commercial freight forwarders warn that the localized crisis has caused marine war-risk insurance premiums to spike, forcing international ocean lines to consider terminating Gulf-bound container routes at safe outer hubs like Fujairah or Khor Fakkan.</p></li></ul>