New Delhi: India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Friday spoke to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and lodged a strong diplomatic protest over recent US naval actions in the Gulf that resulted in the deaths of three Indian sailors. (The Times of India)
In a post on X, Jaishankar said he had conveyed India’s displeasure directly to Rubio.
“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,” he wrote. (Anadolu Ajansı)
The diplomatic intervention came a day after India summoned US Charge d’Affaires Jason Meeks and lodged a formal protest over attacks on commercial vessels carrying Indian crew members in the Gulf of Oman. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) described the incidents as unacceptable and said they undermined the safety and stability of international maritime commerce. (The Tribune)
The protest follows the death of three Indian seafarers aboard the Palau-flagged oil tanker MT Settebello, which was struck during a US military operation in the Gulf of Oman. The vessel had a crew of 28, including 24 Indians and four foreign nationals. Twenty-one Indian sailors were rescued, while the bodies of the three missing crew members were later recovered and identified. (Reuters)
According to the MEA, attacks on merchant shipping in the region are “deeply concerning” and linked to the broader conflict unfolding in West Asia. The ministry reiterated India’s call for an immediate de-escalation of tensions and urged all sides to return to dialogue and diplomacy. (Business Standard)
The US military has acknowledged carrying out the strike. The United States Central Command (CENTCOM) said American forces targeted MT Settebello after it allegedly failed to comply with instructions while attempting to transport Iranian oil in violation of an American blockade. CENTCOM said the vessel was disabled after repeated warnings went unheeded. (Outlook India)
The incident is one of several recent attacks involving Indian-crewed vessels in the Gulf region, raising concerns in New Delhi over the safety of Indian seafarers and commercial shipping routes in one of the world’s busiest maritime corridors. (The Guardian)
India has maintained that the lives of civilian sailors and the security of commercial shipping must be protected, regardless of the ongoing geopolitical tensions in the region. (moneycontrol.com)
