India to launch real-time dashboard to monitor and protect seafarers amid West Asia crisis

Mangalore Today News Network

New Delhi, Jul 15, 2026: Amid rising maritime security threats in West Asia, the Indian government has decided to launch a comprehensive real-time dashboard to monitor and protect Indian seafarers operating in the region, regardless of the flag under which their vessels are registered.

Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal on Tuesday directed the Directorate General of Shipping (DGS) to develop a vessel-by-vessel operational dashboard covering the Persian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz, and Gulf of Oman.

According to an official statement, the dashboard will provide real-time information on vessel location, ownership, cargo, crew strength and welfare, threat assessment, intended voyage, next port of call, and available emergency support facilities.

Chairing a high-level inter-ministerial review meeting, Sonowal stressed that the safety of Indian seafarers is the government’s top priority.

"Every Indian seafarer must be individually accounted for. There can be no compromise on the safety and security of our seafarers," he said.

The move comes after recent attacks on merchant vessels MT Al Bahiyah and MT Mombasa in the Strait of Hormuz. The two ships had a total of 30 Indian seafarers among their 46-member crew. One Indian sailor was killed and another injured aboard MT Al Bahiyah, while nine Indian crew members were injured on MT Mombasa.

The review meeting was attended by Union Minister of State Shantanu Thakur, senior officials from the Ministries of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, External Affairs, Petroleum and Natural Gas, the Indian Navy, and Indian diplomatic missions in Iran and Oman.

Sonowal also directed the appointment of dedicated liaison officers for every affected Indian seafarer to serve as a single point of contact for their families. The officers will coordinate medical updates, repatriation, compensation, wage-related issues, and other welfare measures.

The government will strengthen coordination with Indian missions in Iran, Oman, and the UAE to provide real-time navigational safety updates, facilitate medical evacuations, and arrange safe port refuge when required.

Ship owners, managers, and recruitment agencies have also been instructed to submit compliance reports confirming that Indian seafarers are not compelled to sail without adequate safety measures and security information.

India has further raised the issue with the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and the relevant flag states, urging strict adherence to international conventions governing seafarer safety and the right of innocent passage.