India on Tuesday dismissed reports claiming that Iran had sought the exchange of three seized tankers in return for allowing safe passage of Indian-flagged or India-bound ships through the Strait of Hormuz, the key waterway affected by the ongoing West Asia conflict.
Citing three sources, Reuters had reported that India earlier seized three tankers, Asphalt Star, Al Jafzia and Stellar Ruby, alleging they had concealed or altered identities and were involved in illegal ship-to-ship transfers.
#WATCH | Delhi: MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal says, “We are in talks with Iran and other countries. As our Special Secretary mentioned, many ships are still there in the Strait of Hormuz area. It is our intention to work with Iran and other countries to bring those ships back… pic.twitter.com/RL0j8OqEnS
— ANI (@ANI) March 17, 2026
Rejecting the report, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said there had been “no discussion of this nature”.
“The three vessels are anyway not Iranian owned, neither are there any Iranian vessels,” he said during an inter-ministerial press briefing.
Ships Still Stranded In Hormuz
Jaiswal said several Indian vessels remain stuck in the Strait of Hormuz and confirmed that discussions are underway to ensure their safe return.
“Many of our ships are still stuck in Strait of Hormuz. We plan to have talks with Iran and other countries so that those vessels can be brought back home safely,” he said.
He added: “We are in talks with Iran and other countries. As our Special Secretary mentioned, many ships are still there in the Strait of Hormuz area. It is our intention to work with Iran and other countries to bring those ships back home safely. This is our objective. Discussions are ongoing on this issue. Regarding humanitarian aid, we are in talks with Iran on a number of issues.”
Details Of Seized Vessels
The Reuters report cited a police complaint by the Indian Coast Guard dated February 15, alleging that Asphalt Star was involved in smuggling heavy fuel oil, which was transferred to Al Jafzia, while bitumen was moved to Stellar Ruby.
All three vessels are currently docked off Mumbai, according to the report.
LPG Carriers Reach India
Amid ongoing tensions in the region, the Indian LPG carrier Nanda Devi arrived at Vadinar port in Jamnagar on Tuesday, carrying 46,500 metric tonnes of liquefied petroleum gas for ship-to-ship transfer.
Earlier, the government had said that two Indian-flagged LPG vessels, Nanda Devi and Shivalik, had crossed the Strait of Hormuz safely and were expected to reach India by next week. While Nanda Devi anchored on Tuesday, Shivalik reached India on Monday.
22 Indian Vessels Still In Persian Gulf
With the return of the two vessels, 22 Indian-flagged ships remain in the Persian Gulf, carrying a total of 611 seafarers, according to figures shared by the government on Saturday.
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