DGS withdraws restriction on the movement of Indian ships in the Strait of Hormuz

📌 Summary:

• The Directorate General of Shipping (DGS) withdrew its June 13 advisory that had restricted the movement of Indian ships and deployment of Indian seafarers in the Gulf, including the Strait of Hormuz and the Gulf of Oman
• Revised order (June 26): no restriction on Indian shipowners/managers/RPSL agencies operating in and out of the Persian Gulf, provided coastal-State and security-agency protocols are followed; stakeholders to maintain heightened caution
• Context: the original restriction followed the U.S. strike on MT Settebello off Oman that killed 3 Indian seafarers; the U.S. then struck Iran, which retaliated against targets in Kuwait and Bahrain
• The IMO, with UKMTO and the MICA Centre, ran a coordinated mechanism to evacuate stranded seafarers
• DGS is monitoring with the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, MEA, Indian Navy and Indian missions; ship masters advised to follow the Embassy of India, Tehran advisory of June 24

🎯 UPSC Relevance: GS3 — maritime security, safety of Indian seafarers and energy sea-lane chokepoints; with a GS2 IR dimension of the West Asia conflict.

📝 Prelims Facts:

• The Strait of Hormuz connects the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman/Arabian Sea — a key oil chokepoint
• DGS = Directorate General of Shipping; RPSL = Recruitment and Placement Service Licence
• Coordinating bodies: IMO, UKMTO, MICA Centre
• The MT Settebello strike off Oman killed 3 Indian seafarers

🔑 Key Term: Chokepoint — a narrow, strategically critical maritime passage (e.g., the Strait of Hormuz) whose disruption affects global trade and energy flows.