India has lodged a strong protest with the United States over US Navy attacks in the Gulf that resulted in the deaths of three Indian sailors. During a phone call on Friday, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar conveyed India’s concerns to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and said that lethal action against commercial shipping was not justified.
In a post on X, Jaishankar said, “Spoke to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio this evening. I reiterated India’s strong protest at the attacks by the US Navy in the Gulf that killed three Indian mariners. Such lethal actions against commercial shipping are not justified.”
Three Indian sailors killed in Gulf of Oman strike
Jaishankar’s statement came after three Indian sailors lost their lives in a US military strike on a commercial tanker in the Gulf of Oman.
The tanker, MT Settebello, was targeted on Wednesday after US forces accused it of violating restrictions linked to Iranian ports. Of the 24 Indian crew members on board, 21 were rescued, while three were initially reported missing. Their deaths were later confirmed by Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal, who described the incident as a “profound loss for India’s maritime community”.
MEA summons US diplomat over attacks on commercial vessels
Meanwhile, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) summoned US Chargé d’Affaires Jason Meeks on Friday and lodged a strong protest over the continued attacks on commercial vessels near Oman.
The move came a day after another vessel carrying 20 Indian crew members was attacked in the same region. This is the second time in a week that the MEA has summoned the top US diplomat over growing concerns about the safety of Indian sailors.
India working to bring back bodies of deceased sailors
The MEA said the three Indian sailors killed in the attack on MT Settebello have been identified. The government is now working to bring their bodies back to India at the earliest.
MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, “These attacks came from the US Navy that is stationed there. As you would have seen in the various reports, as also in what was clarified through our statements and otherwise from this podium, the three ships that have been involved in the incidents are foreign-flagged.”
Iran rejects Trump’s allegations
US President Donald Trump accused Iran of being behind the attacks on three vessels carrying Indian seafarers near the Strait of Hormuz and called the incident “totally unacceptable”. However, US Central Command had earlier said that the strikes were carried out by American naval forces.
Iran rejected Trump’s claims on Saturday. The Iranian Embassy in India called the allegations “baseless” and accused Washington of trying to shift attention away from recent attacks on commercial ships carrying Indian crew members. Iran also condemned the attacks, calling them “brutal” and a threat to maritime security.
