New Delhi, April 27 -- For about eight weeks, Indian Capt. Rahul Dhar and his crew have been stranded on their tanker in the Persian Gulf, sometimes watching drones and missiles explode as the Strait of Hormuz remained effectively shut while the Iran war dragged on.

The crew's morale, he said, is holding as they carry on with their routines, but the strain is beginning to show.

A shaky ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran has brought "a careful sense of hope" for the crew, but there is still no clear end to the war. "Day to day, we try to keep things normal with open conversations and small team activities that help lift everyone's spirits."

The crew sighted drones and missile interceptions several times, both near the ship and along th...