Swapna Kumbar , Bengaluru - India has issued a strong warning to shipowners to avoid deploying Indian sailors on vessels operating through the Strait of Hormuz, after fresh attacks in the region killed Indian national. The advisory comes as the conflict around the waterway continues to endanger merchant shipping and seafarers.

The warning follows the deaths of two Indian nationals, including 31-year-old Rohan Kumar from Bihar’s Gopalganj and 30-year-old Herambh Karmarkar from Pune, in separate ship attacks linked to the wider Hormuz crisis. India has already put its maritime network on high alert and told ship operators, owners and masters to maintain heightened vigilance in Iranian waters, the Strait of Hormuz and the Gulf of Oman. The advisory also urges crews to test security systems, monitor threats closely and report suspicious activity immediately.

The scale of the risk has grown because commercial vessels in the region have repeatedly come under missile, drone and other attacks. India’s concern is not only about the safety of individual sailors, but also about the exposure of a large number of Indian seafarers who work on ships transiting the Gulf. By warning shipowners directly, New Delhi is signalling that it wants preventive action, not just post-incident response.

India’s message is clear: shipowners must not treat the Strait of Hormuz as a routine route while the security situation remains volatile. With Indian sailors already among the casualties, the government is pressing for stronger caution to prevent further loss of life.