Paradip Port bars entry to 21 crew members of Pakistani Cargo Vessel

BHUBANESWAR : Security has been tightened at Paradip port in Odisha after the arrival of a cargo vessel carrying 21 Pakistani crew members, officials said on Wednesday. The ‘MT Siren II,’ which has a total of 25 crew members, reached Paradip early on Wednesday, transporting 11,350 metric tonnes of crude oil for Indian Oil Corporation Ltd. from South Korea via Singapore. The remaining crew includes Indian and Thai nationals, officials added.

The Odisha Marine Police and the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) intensified security after being alerted by the Immigration Department about the presence of Pakistani nationals on board, said Marine Police Station inspector in-charge Babita Dehuri. “Orders have been issued barring all crew members from deboarding during the crude oil offloading process,” Dehuri added.

The vessel is currently anchored at the single point mooring (SPM), approximately 20 kilometers off the coast. In light of the ongoing military tensions between India and Pakistan, the port has been placed on high alert, officials said.

India-Pakistan relations
The development comes in the wake of recent events where India and Pakistan experienced their most intense military confrontation in decades, triggered by a deadly attack in Pahalgam, Kashmir, which resulted in the deaths of 26 Hindu tourists. India attributed the attack to Pakistan-based militants and responded with “Operation Sindoor,” a series of precision airstrikes targeting alleged terrorist infrastructure across Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir. These strikes reportedly destroyed facilities linked to groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed.

Pakistan retaliated by claiming to have shot down multiple Indian fighter jets and conducted artillery shelling in the Poonch district, leading to civilian casualties. The conflict escalated further with drone incursions and mutual accusations of ceasefire violations. Diplomatic relations deteriorated as both nations expelled each other’s diplomats and suspended key agreements, including the Indus Waters Treaty and the Simla Agreement.

India and Pakistan on Saturday last announced reaching an understanding to stop all firings and military actions on land, air, and sea, with effect from 5 pm that day.