The Delhi High Court has stayed proceedings in a criminal defamation case filed against Sudarshan TV and its editor Suresh Chavhanke in connection with allegations that his channel made false accusations against a madrasa. The case against Chavhanke was filed by Mohammed Tufail Khan
The Trump Intervention That Got the DOJ Off Live Nation’s Back Antitrust case started out aiming to force the concert giant to sell Ticketmaster. After two White House meetings, a deal kept the company intact. Published on: Aug 24, 2026, 14:02:07 IST WSJ Prefer HTon Google Share via Copy link The
China said on Sunday (August 23, 2026) it was postponing its planned ambitious Chang'e-7 lunar mission, which was set to carry out explorations including searching for water ice on the moon. The Chang'e-7 spacecraft was originally set to lift off in the coming days from the Wenchang Space Launch
Canada’s Carney Puts His ‘No Deal Is Better Than a Bad Deal’ Doctrine to the Test The prime minister ’s approach has broad support from the Canadian public and his political opponents, but it isn’t without risks. Published on: Aug 24, 2026, 14:05:27 IST WSJ Prefer HTon Google Share via
An Indian national was killed in a shooting incident in New York on Friday night, said the Indian consulate general in the city. The man, Gurdeep Singh, was killed on Crescent Street in the city’s Brooklyn area, in what police believe may have been a road rage incident, CBS News reported
A group of former cricket captains, including Indian batting legend Sunil Gavaskar and one of England's longest-serving skippers Sir Alastair Cook, have called on Pakistan to ensure its ex-PM Imran Khan be given proper care while in custody. The cricketer-turned-politician has been in jail since
Fewer than 20 commodity vessels transited the Strait of Hormuz at the weekend, shipping data showed on Monday (August 24, 2026), as Iranian and U.S. blockades restrict traffic through the chokepoint for energy shipments. Four vessels crossed the strait on Sunday (August 23, 2026)
India had asked the United States not to allow reporters to ask questions during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s meeting with President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the G7 summit in France in June, US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor said on Saturday
Shenlong's journey to India via Hormuz Strait: Digital darkness, lurking fear
How oil ship Shenlong made a long journey to India via digital darkness, lurking fear in the Strait of Hormuz
How oil ship Shenlong made a long journey to India via digital darkness, lurking fear in the Strait of Hormuz
As ship approached Strait of Hormuz, a 33-km-wide chokepoint currently a theatre of US-Iran war, the crew encountered a total stop of electronic navigation aids
Updated on: Mar 13, 2026 2:02 PM IST By Aarish Chhabra Share via Copy link It was a journey that brought a ship to India via the Strait of Hormuz; it was also one that traveled via a pre-digital age while the oil-rich West Asia is engulfed by a digitally-driven war of drones and missiles. Shenlong Suezmax, the crude oil tanker from Saudi Arabia docking at the Mumbai port after transiting via the Strait of Hormuz amid heightened Middle East tensions. (Raju Shinde/HT Photo) The Liberia-flagged oil tanker Shenlong Suezmax docked at Mumbai’s Jawahar Dweep on Wednesday, March 11, having depended on manual navigation and a complete digital blackout as it braved the conflict triggered by the US-Israeli attack on Iran on February 28. Follow: Live updates on the US-Iran warHere’s how Shenlong reached India
The vessel is the first to successfully deliver a cargo of crude oil to India via the Strait of Hormuz since the conflict began on February 28, effectively turning the vital waterway into a war zone. The tanker, carrying 1,35,335 metric tonnes of crude oil from Saudi Arabia, arrived at the Butcher Island terminal at 6:06pm on Wednesday, reports said. The successful transit comes at a time when energy supplies are strained as the war widens to the Arab world too, hitting supplies from the most oil-rich region of the world. India is seeing panic over supply of LPG in particular.Navigating via a digital void
The journey began at the Ras Tanura terminal in Saudi Arabia. The vessel departed on March 3, just as regional tensions reached a breaking point. As the ship approached the Strait of Hormuz — a 33-km-wide chokepoint through which nearly a fifth of the world’s crude passes — the crew encountered a total stop of electronic navigational aids. A person familiar with the matter told HT that signals from the ship’s Automatic Identification System (AIS) and transponders were not detected for a significant portion of the voyage, a tactic often used by vessels to avoid detection in hostile waters. Maritime tracking data showed the vessel in the Strait of Hormuz on March 8 before it temporarily went off tracking systems. It reappeared on tracking systems on March 9. The transponder is a mandatory maritime VHF radio system that automatically broadcasts a ship's identity, position, speed, and course to nearby vessels and shore stations to prevent collisions and improve navigation. However, the "dark" transit was not merely a choice. Sources from the Indian ministry of ports, shipping and waterways told HT that the Shenlong experienced sustained GPS spoofing and jamming, a form of electronic warfare that leaves modern satellite navigation useless; or worse, makes it misleading.‘Seamanship and pure courage’
With GPS signals lost, the crew was forced to rely on traditional maritime skills. The ship's captain, Sukshant Singh Sandhu, described the journey as one filled with "many uncertainties." "The ship lost GPS signals many times along the way," Captain Sandhu, a resident of Mohali, said. Second Officer Abhijit Alok told HT on Thursday that the bridge team reverted to "secondary options”. "Captain Sandhu is a seasoned officer and knows how to navigate when there are no GPS signals; we sailed on in the manner it was done in an era when there were no signals," Alok said. The crew of 29 consisted of nationals of India, Pakistan, and the Philippines. Third Officer Osman Arshad, a Pakistani national from Karachi, noted that Sandhu remained steadfast. "The captain assured us that we would be alerted during a time of emergency," he said. Arshad’s contract expires next month, and he plans to take a four-month vacation to "work off the stress".Return leg remains
The tanker is now scheduled to sail for Fujairah port in the UAE on Friday night after its cargo is moved to refineries in Mahul, eastern Mumbai. Fujairah, though located outside the Strait of Hormuz, has not escaped the conflict. On March 9, debris from a drone intercepted by UAE defense forces caused a fire at the port, and an oil storage terminal was struck by falling debris last week. Meanwhile, the arrival of another vessel, the Smyrni, is expected in Mumbai on March 14.Status of Indian interests at sea
While the Shenlong safely docked, the conflict is still widening. During a press briefing on Thursday, Rajesh Kumar Sinha, special secretary to the ministry of shipping, confirmed that three Indian seafarers died and one remains missing following attacks on foreign-flagged vessels in the region. One casualty occurred on the Marshall Islands-flagged Safesea Vishnu near Iraq, while another was reported on the Thai-flagged Mayuree Naree, which was struck near the port of Basra on March 11. The foreign ministry has expressed deep concern, stating that commercial shipping is being unfairly targeted. Currently, 28 Indian-flagged vessels remain in the Persian Gulf region, and 778 Indian seafarers are on board these vessels. The Strait of Hormuz has become a focal point of the conflict. Following the February 28 strikes, Iran has effectively seized control of the passage. While some reports suggested that diplomatic talks between India’s foreign minister S Jaishankar and his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi had secured safe passage for Indian ships, ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal termed such reports "premature" during a weekly briefing on March 12. An Indian-flagged carrier with Iraqi crude is also currently en route to Paradip in Odisha, as the government continues to monitor the 28 stranded vessels through a 24-hour control room.Expected: 22 ships in 72 hours
Deendayal Port Authority, Kandla, Gujarat, is now geared up to handle 22 vessels in the next three days. Its on X post said on Friday, "Going to handle 22 vessels in the next 72 hours." "Systems working efficiently to accommodate reconfigured voyages and provide services to the best possible standards," the post read. Thailand-flagged vessel Mayuree Naree, which had come under attack in the Straits of Hormuz on March 11, is among the ships expected at the Kandla port. Some of the vessels expected are likely to be carrying crude oil to India. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Aarish Chhabra Aarish Chhabra is an Associate Editor with the Hindustan Times online team, writing news reports and explanatory articles, besides overseeing coverage for the website. His career spans nearly two decades across India's most respected newsrooms in print, digital, and broadcast. He has reported, written, and edited across formats — from breaking news and live election coverage, to analytical long-reads and cultural commentary — building a body of work that reflects both editorial rigour and a deep curiosity about the society he writes for. Aarish studied English literature, sociology and history, besides journalism, at Panjab University, Chandigarh, and started his career in that city, eventually moving to Delhi. He is also the author of ‘The Big Small Town: How Life Looks from Chandigarh’, a collection of critical essays originally serialised as a weekly column in the Hindustan Times, examining the culture and politics of a city that is far more than its famous architecture — and, in doing so, holding up a mirror to modern India. In stints at the BBC, The Indian Express, NDTV, and Jagran New Media, he worked across formats and languages; mainly English, also Hindi and Punjabi. He was part of the crack team for the BBC Explainer project replicated across the world by the broadcaster. At Jagran, he developed editorial guides and trained journalists on integrity and content quality. He has also worked at the intersection of journalism and education. At the Indian School of Business (ISB), Hyderabad, he developed a website that simplified academic research in management. At Bennett University's Times School of Media in Noida, he taught students the craft of digital journalism: from newsgathering and writing, to social media strategy and video storytelling. Having moved from a small town to a bigger town to a mega city for education and work, his intellectual passions lie at the intersection of society, politics, and popular culture — a perspective that informs both his writing and his view of the world. When not working, he is constantly reading long-form journalism or watching brainrot content, sometimes both at the same time.Read More Oil Tanker Strait Of Hormuz Crude Oil Check India news real-time updates, latest news from India, latest at HindustanTime News / India News / How Oil Ship Shenlong Made A Long Journey To India Via Digital Darkness, Lurking Fear In The Strait Of Hormuz See LessIt was a journey that brought a ship to India via the Strait of Hormuz; it was also one that traveled via a pre-digital age while the oil-rich West Asia is engulfed by a digitally-driven war of drones and missiles.
The Liberia-flagged oil tanker Shenlong Suezmax docked at Mumbai’s Jawahar Dweep on Wednesday, March 11, having depended on manual navigation and a complete digital blackout as it braved the conflict triggered by the US-Israeli attack on Iran on February 28.
Follow: Live updates on the US-Iran war
The tanker, carrying 1,35,335 metric tonnes of crude oil from Saudi Arabia, arrived at the Butcher Island terminal at 6:06pm on Wednesday, reports said.
The successful transit comes at a time when energy supplies are strained as the war widens to the Arab world too, hitting supplies from the most oil-rich region of the world. India is seeing panic over supply of LPG in particular.
The vessel departed on March 3, just as regional tensions reached a breaking point.
As the ship approached the Strait of Hormuz — a 33-km-wide chokepoint through which nearly a fifth of the world’s crude passes — the crew encountered a total stop of electronic navigational aids.
A person familiar with the matter told HT that signals from the ship’s Automatic Identification System (AIS) and transponders were not detected for a significant portion of the voyage, a tactic often used by vessels to avoid detection in hostile waters.
Maritime tracking data showed the vessel in the Strait of Hormuz on March 8 before it temporarily went off tracking systems. It reappeared on tracking systems on March 9.
The transponder is a mandatory maritime VHF radio system that automatically broadcasts a ship's identity, position, speed, and course to nearby vessels and shore stations to prevent collisions and improve navigation.
However, the "dark" transit was not merely a choice. Sources from the Indian ministry of ports, shipping and waterways told HT that the Shenlong experienced sustained GPS spoofing and jamming, a form of electronic warfare that leaves modern satellite navigation useless; or worse, makes it misleading.
The ship's captain, Sukshant Singh Sandhu, described the journey as one filled with "many uncertainties."
"The ship lost GPS signals many times along the way," Captain Sandhu, a resident of Mohali, said. Second Officer Abhijit Alok told HT on Thursday that the bridge team reverted to "secondary options”. "Captain Sandhu is a seasoned officer and knows how to navigate when there are no GPS signals; we sailed on in the manner it was done in an era when there were no signals," Alok said.
The crew of 29 consisted of nationals of India, Pakistan, and the Philippines.
Third Officer Osman Arshad, a Pakistani national from Karachi, noted that Sandhu remained steadfast. "The captain assured us that we would be alerted during a time of emergency," he said. Arshad’s contract expires next month, and he plans to take a four-month vacation to "work off the stress".
Fujairah, though located outside the Strait of Hormuz, has not escaped the conflict. On March 9, debris from a drone intercepted by UAE defense forces caused a fire at the port, and an oil storage terminal was struck by falling debris last week.
Meanwhile, the arrival of another vessel, the Smyrni, is expected in Mumbai on March 14.
One casualty occurred on the Marshall Islands-flagged Safesea Vishnu near Iraq, while another was reported on the Thai-flagged Mayuree Naree, which was struck near the port of Basra on March 11. The foreign ministry has expressed deep concern, stating that commercial shipping is being unfairly targeted.
Currently, 28 Indian-flagged vessels remain in the Persian Gulf region, and 778 Indian seafarers are on board these vessels.
The Strait of Hormuz has become a focal point of the conflict. Following the February 28 strikes, Iran has effectively seized control of the passage.
While some reports suggested that diplomatic talks between India’s foreign minister S Jaishankar and his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi had secured safe passage for Indian ships, ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal termed such reports "premature" during a weekly briefing on March 12.
An Indian-flagged carrier with Iraqi crude is also currently en route to Paradip in Odisha, as the government continues to monitor the 28 stranded vessels through a 24-hour control room.
"Systems working efficiently to accommodate reconfigured voyages and provide services to the best possible standards," the post read.
Thailand-flagged vessel Mayuree Naree, which had come under attack in the Straits of Hormuz on March 11, is among the ships expected at the Kandla port. Some of the vessels expected are likely to be carrying crude oil to India.
Source: HindustanTimes
Related Posts: Strait of Hormuz,crude oil,oil tanker,GPS signals,digital blackout
Former Australian captain Greg Chappell with the support of 20 other former international skippers appealed to the Pakistan Government led by Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, to provide ‘humane treatment and proper medical care’ for Imran Khan
11 hours ago
The shock resignation of Tata Sons chairman N Chandrasekaran earlier this month has left corporate India's top job vacant. But finding his successor will be no easy task for the country's most revered conglomerate, whose sprawling $300bn empire spans Jaguar Land Rover and Air India as well as
11 hours ago
Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian defended a memorandum of understanding with the United States as the best way out of a stalled war. Meanwhile, the new head of the Islamic Republic's top security body warned, in a more forceful tone, of retaliation if neighbouring countries support U.S
11 hours ago
Authorities in China have launched an investigation into reports of formaldehyde being used to preserve the freshness of cabbages for human consumption. Officials in the northeastern Hebei province confirmed that they had verified footage showing individuals dipping cabbages in a solution before
11 hours ago
Three newborns died after a fire that broke out in the neonatal intensive care unit of a government hospital in Maharashtra’s Amravati district in the early hours of Monday, PTI reported. The fire broke out at the Amravati District Women’s Hospital around 3
11 hours ago
Imran's party demands immediate cardiac care for him at Shifa International Hospital Imran's party demands immediate cardiac care for him at Shifa International Hospital Published on: Aug 24, 2026, 11:10:49 IST PTI Prefer HTon Google Share via Copy link Islamabad
11 hours ago
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s three-day visit to New Delhi in July 2026 for the India-Japan summit appears to have elevated relations between the two Asian countries into a fresh phase of strategic expansion. Ties had already undergone a remarkable transformation over the past decade
11 hours ago
How well do COVID antivirals actually work? Not as well as we thought How well do COVID antivirals actually work? Not as well as we thought Published on: Aug 24, 2026, 11:11:50 IST PTI Prefer HTon Google Share via Copy link Sydeny, If you're aged over 70
11 hours ago
On Sunday, in a post on X, Wali said the audio contained "explosive evidence" and claimed that Brar admitted his gang had ordered Nijjar's killing, alleging that the assassination was driven by an inter-gang feud. Ottawa: Three years after NIA designated terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar was killed in
14 hours ago
Until recently, there would have been little to distinguish Vietnam's so-called Justice Tree from the hundreds of others lining the streets of Hanoi. Then the bouquets started piling up. It was here that former politician Nguyen Sy Cuong was driving his BMW in May last year when he veered into the
14 hours ago
Fast-fashion giant Shein says it plans to raise up to HK13.86bn (£1.3bn; $1.77bn) when its shares start trading on the Hong Kong stock market on 1 September. In a filing on Monday, Shein said it will offer nearly 280 million shares for between HK$47.60 and HK$49.50
14 hours ago
A fast-moving, wind-driven wildfire near Reno, Nevada, has forced about 42,000 people to evacuate, while another 45,000 have been urged to prepare to leave. The Hawk Fire has burned 15,040 acres, destroyed some homes and injured six people. Officials declared a state of emergency as the blaze
14 hours ago
Former Indian diplomat Navdeep Suri has raised concerns about the verification process under the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls. Suri, a retired Indian Foreign Services officer, went through the process in Punjab. It is among the 16 states where the voter roll revision is being
14 hours ago
A moderate earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 5.9 rattled eastern Japan, including the Tokyo area, early Sunday (August 23, 2026), injuring more than 20 people, most of them slightly, officials said. There was no danger of a tsunami. According to the Japan Meteorological Agency
1 days ago
Chinese humanoid robots broke records set by humans, including beating Usain Bolt’s 100-meter sprint world record, on the opening day of the Olympics-like World Humanoid Robot Games in Beijing on Saturday (August 22, 2026). More than 2,000 humanoid robots were participating in the event
1 days ago
One afternoon in 1907, a young accountant named Chandrasekhar Venkata Raman walked into the laboratory of the Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science at 210 Bowbazar Street in Calcutta. Though he had a passion for the sciences, colonial India offered no stable careers in the field
1 days ago
Three first information reports were filed against 14 identified and more than 200 unidentified persons on Saturday in connection with clashes between the police and student protesters a day earlier, PTI quoted Ranchi Superintendent of Police Paras Rana as saying
1 days ago
Did an Amazon delivery guy assault a 71-year-old man in California? What we know about the attack and lawsuit A California lawsuit alleged that an Amazon delivery driver assaulted a 71-year-old man at an Elk Grove gas station. Updated on: Aug 23, 2026
1 days ago
‘Pure evil’: Videos of mothers splashing water at their kids spark outrage amid Lindsay Clancy trial Social media videos of mothers throwing water at their children have sparked concerns amid Lindsay Clancy's trial. Published on: Aug 23, 2026
1 days ago
The sister of jailed former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Saturday (August 22, 2026) filed a petition in the Supreme Court, accusing the government and senior officials of violating the top court’s order to shift him to a private hospital for medical examination and treatment
1 days ago
The United States and Canada have entered into uncharted territory. The longtime allies and economic partners, who have enjoyed free trade for decades, are now in an escalating trade war with no clear off ramp. And for Prime Minister Mark Carney
1 days ago
Harrisburg weather update: Special Weather Statement issued for central Pennsylvania as thunderstorms bring 40mph wind NWS has issued a Special Weather Statement for Harrisburg and surrounding parts of central Pennsylvania. Published on: Aug 23, 2026
1 days ago
The police in Maharashtra’s Latur have registered a first information report against Abhijeet Dipke, the founder of the Cockroach Janta Party political campaign, for allegedly entering a government school without permission, threatening teachers and defaming the institution
1 days ago
The United States and Iran exchanged defiant messages ahead of Monday’s (August 24, 2026) scheduled announcement of new U.S. economic sanctions that could impact the Islamic Republic and Tehran’s most important trading partners including China
1 days ago
Fourteen people were killed in military air strikes at a monastery in Myanmar early on Friday, opposition fighters and a local rescue worker have said. All of those killed were elderly and a number of monks were also injured, the rescue worker told BBC Burmese, adding that the site was struck twice
1 days ago
Deadly airstrikes in Gaza killed at least ten people on Wednesday. These attacks occurred just days after U.S. negotiators asked Israel to reduce its actions. Israeli troops also crossed the Gaza ceasefire line and detained a Hamas official. The ongoing conflict has killed over seventy-three
1 days ago
The Armed Forces Tribunal on Thursday upheld an administrative censure for a brigadier who was commanding a sector of the Rashtriya Rifles in Jammu and Kashmir’s Poonch district in December 2023 when three civilians died during an interrogation following a militant attack
1 days ago
