New Delhi (TDI): India’s External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar has spoken to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, lodging a strong protest over recent American strikes on commercial vessels off the coast of Oman that resulted in the deaths of three Indian sailors.
In a post on X, Jaishankar confirmed the call, saying he “reiterated India’s strong protest at the attacks by the US Navy in the Gulf that killed three Indian mariners” and stressed that “such lethal actions against commercial shipping are not justified.”
The diplomatic exchange comes amid rising tensions following a series of US strikes on merchant vessels in the Gulf of Oman region, several of which were carrying Indian crew members.
Earlier this week, a US strike on the Palau-flagged tanker MT Settebello killed three Indian seafarers after the vessel was hit off the coast of Oman. The incident triggered strong condemnation from New Delhi, which summoned the US deputy chief of mission in India twice within two days to formally register its protest.
Subsequent strikes on other vessels, including the MT Marivex and a Guinea-Bissau-flagged tanker, prompted further alarm in India. While some crew members were rescued, Indian authorities have urged heightened caution for seafarers operating in conflict-affected waters.
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The US military has said the vessels were targeted as part of operations linked to enforcing restrictions on Iranian oil shipments. Washington maintains that the ships failed to comply with instructions before being struck.
India, one of the largest suppliers of seafarers globally with over 320,000 active maritime workers, has warned its nationals to exercise extreme caution while transiting high-risk waters. The shipping ministry has already issued advisories in response to the escalating incidents.
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The episode has added strain to India-US diplomatic engagement at a sensitive time, with New Delhi pressing for accountability while also seeking to ensure the safety of its nationals in increasingly volatile maritime routes around the Strait of Hormuz.
