Caught in the Crossfire: The Perilous Voyage of Indian Seafarers on Sanctioned 'Dark Fleet' Ships

What is the core issue facing Indian seafarers?

The central issue is the increasing risk of Indian maritime professionals becoming collateral damage in geopolitical conflicts. With over 3.2 lakh active seafarers from a registered pool of over 5 lakh, India is a dominant force in global maritime labour, constituting roughly 20% of the world's 1.8 million seafarers (Source: The Hindu). This large presence means that when international powers use sanctions to target vessels, Indian nationals are disproportionately affected. The death of three Indian crew members in a U.S. attack on June 10, 2024, and the arrest of an Indian captain in the U.K. are symptoms of a systemic problem. Seafarers are often unaware of the complex ownership structures or sanctioned status of the vessels they are hired to work on. Vulnerable workers are frequently targeted by unscrupulous recruitment agents and placed on high-risk ships, making them unwitting participants in illicit trade and violating their fundamental right to life and personal liberty under Article 21 of the Constitution.

How do 'dark fleets' and sanctions regimes operate?

Sanctions are broadly of two types. UN Security Council sanctions, passed under Chapter VII of the UN Charter, are binding on all member states. More common are unilateral sanctions imposed by individual countries or blocs like the U.S., U.K., and EU. These are legally binding only within their jurisdictions but are often enforced extraterritorially through financial leverage.

To evade these sanctions, a 'dark fleet' has emerged. According to maritime expert Ajith Sukumaran, a retired Additional Director General of Shipping, these vessels employ a range of deceptive tactics. These include falsifying registration documents, obtaining fraudulent insurance, switching off their Automatic Identification System (AIS) transponders to 'go dark', and conducting clandestine ship-to-ship transfers of cargo on the high seas. A ship's connection to a sanctioned entity may be obscured through layers of shell companies, making due diligence nearly impossible for a seafarer. The case of the Indian captain arrested in the English Channel highlights another tactic: a vessel losing its flag state registration mid-voyage, rendering it 'stateless' and thus subject to seizure by any nation under international law.