INVC News Desk | Washington, D.C.
In a sweeping enforcement move to curb Iran’s sanctioned oil trade, the United States has sanctioned an Indian citizen and four companies—two of them India-based—for allegedly supporting Iran’s shadow oil fleet. The US Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has designated Jugwinder Singh Barard, who resides in the United Arab Emirates, for his involvement in clandestine oil shipments that violate global sanctions against Iran.
Barard is reportedly the owner and operator of a fleet of about 30 oil tankers, several of which have been used to facilitate ship-to-ship (STS) transfers of Iranian petroleum products in sensitive maritime zones including the Gulf of Oman and the Persian Gulf.
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Indian Firms Named in OFAC Sanctions
Along with Barard, the OFAC has sanctioned two India-based entities: Global Tankers Private Limited and B&P Solutions Private Limited. According to the US authorities, these firms were actively involved in the transportation and sale of Iranian crude on behalf of the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
Barard’s UAE-registered companies—Prime Tankers LLC and Glory International FZ-LLC—have also been added to the blacklist. OFAC said Barard used these firms to operate a deceptive global logistics network that enabled Iran to bypass longstanding oil sanctions.
How Iran’s Oil Reached Global Markets Illegally
The sanctioned vessels reportedly engaged in frequent STS operations in areas such as Khor al-Zubair and Umm Qasr ports in Iraq, as well as Iranian and UAE territorial waters. These cargoes were then moved across international waters using manipulated shipping documents and disabled AIS (Automatic Identification Systems) to mask their origin and destination.
“This network of illicit shippers, including Barard, plays a critical role in Iran’s ability to continue funding destabilizing regional activities,” said US Treasury Under Secretary Brian Nelson.
🔍 Related: US-Iran Sanctions — How the Shadow Fleet Impacts Maritime Trade
India’s Maritime Sector Under Global Scrutiny
The inclusion of Indian companies in OFAC’s latest sanctions reflects increased scrutiny of India’s maritime and logistics sectors amid growing global enforcement of secondary sanctions. While India officially complies with US sanctions against Iran, these designations highlight gaps in monitoring and compliance mechanisms.
Global Tankers and B&P Solutions are now barred from accessing US financial systems and engaging in any business with American entities. Their assets under US jurisdiction, if any, have been frozen.
🗞️ Read: India’s Growing Role in Global Maritime Security
A Message to Global Brokers and Facilitators
Treasury Secretary Scott Besant stated, “The Iranian regime continues to rely on unscrupulous actors like Barard to sell its oil and finance terrorism and other destabilizing activities. We will continue to target and dismantle these networks.”
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