India has seized three U.S.-sanctioned oil tankers linked to Iran this month and stepped up surveillance in its maritime zone to curb illicit trade, a source said on Monday (February 16, 2026).
India aims to prevent its waters from being used for ship-to-ship transfers that obscure the origin of oil cargoes, the source with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters.
U.S. military boards another oil tanker in Indian Ocean after tracking it from Caribbean
The seizures and heightened surveillance follow an improvement in U.S.-India relations. Washington earlier this month announced it will cut import tariffs on Indian goods to18% from 50%, after New Delhi agreed to stop Russian oil imports.
The three sanctioned vessels — Stellar Ruby, Asphalt Star and Al Jafzia — frequently changed their identities to evade law enforcement by coastal States, the source said, adding that their owners were based overseas.
