For years, Suniel Kumar Sharma (Sharma) and his wife, Jaspreet Preeti Shahid (Shahid), have, through their base in Chandigarh, India, defrauded maritime regulatory administrations in multiple jurisdictions in order to establish false flagging authorities and maritime classification societies.  Purporting to represent nations from nearly every continent, from Guyana to Eswatini and Laos, Sharma and Shahid have allowed the Iranian shadow fleet, including those operating on behalf of the Iranian military and its proxies, to evade international restrictions on their operation.

Sharma and Shahid’s operations began as early as 2014, when the couple sought to impersonate the flagging authority of the Caribbean nation of Dominica.  In 2023, Sharma established the Singapore-based Eswatini Maritime Affairs and International Ship Registry PTE. Ltd. (Eswatini Maritime), which, despite being publicly disavowed by Eswatini authorities, continues to provide flagging services for vessels transporting Iranian petroleum, including the sanctioned vessel PING SHUN (IMO 9231901), which at the time of its sanctioning had engaged in multiple shipments of Iranian oil.

Many of Sharma and Shahid’s false flagging registries are not tied to registered companies, however.  In each case, the Sharma network purchases web domains, creating websites that claim to offer a variety of services on behalf of a country that has not authorized it to provide any of those services.  The services often include flagging, seafarer training and certification, and vessel classification, all of which are traditionally handled by legitimate organizations that hold vessels to strict international standards.  

Sharma’s network can be tied to multiple active websites that purport to belong to legitimate flagging registries.  Among these false representations are websites purporting to provide flagging services on behalf of Aruba, Guyana, Mali, Mozambique, Malawi, Sint Maarten, and Timor-Leste, among others.  Sanctioned shadow fleet vessels have since gravitated towards these registries despite widespread awareness that they are not endorsed by the relevant governments.  For example, on April 22, 2026, the U.S. Department of War seized the false Guyana-flagged MAJESTIC X, formerly known as the PHONIX (IMO 9198317), which was carrying Iranian oil at the time of its boarding. 

Sharma and Shahid additionally manage a network of primarily India-based entities, some of which are used to establish fraudulent flagging registries.  Sharma is the managing director of India-based Oceaniek Technologies India, a company he has used to establish duplicitous flag registries, including those purporting to belong to Aruba, Nicaragua, and Sint Maarten.  Through these fraudulent registries Sharma has provided false flags to numerous sanctioned vessels that transport Iranian petroleum products, including LATTAFA (IMO 9245794), BINARY STAR (IMO 9380570), and VERA (IMO 9304655). 

As Sharma’s activities have garnered greater attention, Shahid has stepped in to manage—at least on paper—the pair’s business empire, which includes companies ranging from financial services businesses to media streaming platforms.  Following press coverage of his activities, Sharma has closed down multiple deceitful registries, including the Laos Ship Registry and Maritime Safety Administration, previously known as the International Maritime Safety Agency of Guyana, a company that served as a false flagging agency for Guyana and was likely intended to similarly impersonate the Laotian government.  

In addition to Shahid, Indian nationals Ashwani Kumar Dhiman and Ishwinder Singh nominally serve as directors of Sharma’s businesses, including India-based Aryavart Ship Management Private Limited.

Suniel Kumar Sharma is being designated pursuant to E.O. 13902 for operating in the petroleum sector of the Iranian economy.  Jaspreet Preeti Shahid is being designated pursuant to E.O. 13902 for having materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of, Suniel Kumar Sharma. 

Eswatini Maritime Affairs and International Ship Registry PTE. Ltd. is being designated pursuant to E.O. 13902 for being owned or controlled by, or having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, Jaspreet Preeti Shahid. 

Oceaniek Technologies India is being designated pursuant to E.O. 13902 for being owned or controlled by, or having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, Suniel Kumar Sharma. 

Aryavart Ship Management Private Limited is being designated pursuant to E.O. 13902 for being owned or controlled by, or having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, Jaspreet Preeti Shahid.  Ashwani Kumar Dhiman and Ishwinder Singh are being designated pursuant to E.O. 13902 for having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, Aryavart Ship Management Private Limited.

In addition, the following India-based companies are being designated pursuant to E.O. 13902 for being owned or controlled by, or having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, Jaspreet Preeti Shahid:

• Precept Trends Private Limited;
• Polynesia Maritime Private Limited;
• Alexarya Finserv Private Limited;
• Alexarya Media and Entertainment Private Limited;
• Viharaboating Private Limited; and
• Aryavart Maritime and Educational Trust.