The West Asia conflict has prompted the government to step up efforts to build a person-level tracking system for Indian seafarers working aboard ships globally, with plans to link India's maritime information systems with those of Brics countries and beyond. According to reports from Mint, the ministry of ports, shipping and waterways confirmed that the ongoing West Asia conflict is pushing India to change how it keeps track of its seafarers overseas, with the government building a system that can pinpoint individual Indian crew members aboard ships anywhere in the world during a crisis. PM Modi pushed for UN reforms, greater Global South representation and an emergency support network for seafarers amid rising maritime risks during the recent Brics Summit in New Delhi. The urgency has been underscored by the ongoing US-Iran conflict, in which commercial vessels and their crews have faced risks in the Persian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz and Gulf of Oman. Recent developments show Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian met Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in New Delhi on Saturday, on the sidelines of the Brics leaders' summit, as reported by Iran in India.
Under the ministry of ports, shipping and waterways' (MoPSW) direction, the Directorate General of Maritime Administration (DGMA) is developing the Seafarers' Emergency Support Network by building on its existing eNavik seafarer-tracking system. As reported by Mint, the framework would allow authorities to identify where an Indian seafarer is working, the vessel they are on and the agency responsible for them, enabling a quicker response during conflicts, attacks, accidents, abandonment or other emergencies. The system is envisaged as a round-the-clock emergency network, rather than just a tracking database. The ministry indicated that the Indian architecture would subsequently allow the system to connect with maritime authorities in countries beyond Brics, pointing to the wider community of the International Maritime Organization (IMO). Recent shipping data shows four commodity vessels transited the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday, down from six a day earlier and below the 10-day average of about 16, according to preliminary shipping data reported by Reuters.
India contributes 311,936 maritime professionals, including 140,718 officers, according to the BIMCO-ICS Seafarer Workforce Report 2026 as reported by Mint. Indians form the second largest community of seafarers, employed not only on Indian-flagged vessels but also on ships registered under foreign ones. The urgency has been underscored by the ongoing US-Iran conflict, in which commercial vessels and their crews have faced risks in the Persian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz and Gulf of Oman. Recent developments show nearly 3,000 people have crossed the Gulf of Aden to Djibouti in less than a week as escalating violence forces families to flee, according to UNHCR reports. The government of Djibouti is preparing for the arrival of up to 10,000 refugees, which will add acute pressure on the country's health care and education services.
While the DGMA has a repository of all Indian seafarers whether on Indian or foreign flagged vessels, the tracking mode is vessel-oriented. According to Captain Rajat Mehta, chief operating officer at Su-Nav Group, the real challenge lies in collating scattered data into a single, unified dashboard automatically without manual input from shipping companies. The ministry confirmed that under the proposed restructuring, India's existing eNavik Seafarer Tracking Module will be used as the foundation, with vessel positional information updated at least every 24 hours, soon becoming real-time with upgrades planned. Recent shipping incidents include a tanker hit by an unknown projectile in the Strait of Hormuz, causing a fire that has since been extinguished, with all crew reported safe according to UK Maritime Trade Operations.
The ministry indicated that the Indian architecture would subsequently allow the system to connect with maritime authorities in countries beyond Brics, pointing to the wider community of the International Maritime Organization (IMO). As reported by Mint, the plan could eventually be taken to the IMO for formal recognition and potentially anchored within existing frameworks for search and rescue. The Brics group members, including China, Russia, Iran and India, called for calm in the Middle East in a joint statement issued at the summit meeting, expressing deep concern over the continued escalation of tensions and calling for maximum restraint. Recent diplomatic efforts show Iran planning a meeting of foreign ministers of Iraq and other Arab states bordering the Gulf in Oman on Monday to discuss safe commercial shipping routes through the Strait of Hormuz, according to Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei. The Houthi military spokesman said navigation through the Bab al-Mandab strait is "safe" for all but Saudi Arabia, after the group sealed its takeover of the vital shipping corridor.
