New Delhi, June 12
India has lodged a strong protest with the United States after three Indian sailors were killed in a series of US military strikes on commercial vessels in the Gulf of Oman, raising concerns about the safety of civilian shipping in the region. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) summoned US Charge d’Affaires Jason Meeks on Friday and conveyed its “deep concern” over what it described as the use of lethal force against commercial vessels carrying Indian crew members.
For the families of the sailors who lost their lives, the diplomatic exchanges offer little comfort. The deaths have highlighted the risks faced by thousands of Indian seafarers working aboard international merchant ships in some of the world’s most sensitive maritime corridors.
In a statement, the MEA said it had lodged a strong protest over what it called continuing attacks by US naval forces on commercial vessels carrying Indian mariners.
“Such actions are unacceptable and undermine the safety, security and stability of international maritime commerce,” the MEA said. The Ministry further urged the US authorities to ensure that all necessary measures are taken to prevent further civilian casualties.
The latest diplomatic intervention came a day after India publicly confirmed that three merchant vessels carrying Indian crew members had come under attack this week.
According to Indian officials, the Palau-flagged oil tanker Marivex, carrying 24 Indian sailors, was disabled by US forces on 8 June. All crew members were rescued safely.
Two days later, another Palau-flagged tanker, Settebello, was struck, killing three of the 24 Indian sailors on board.
A third vessel, Jalveer, a Guinea-Bissau-flagged tanker carrying 20 Indian crew members, was also targeted on Thursday.
External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the strikes on all three vessels had been carried out by the US Navy.
He added that two of the ships were under sanctions imposed by the US Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), while the third vessel had been classified as non-compliant.
The OFAC is responsible for enforcing US sanctions, including restrictions on vessels accused of transporting Iranian and Russian oil.
The incident has added a new dimension to India US relations, with New Delhi making clear its expectation that civilian seafarers should not be put at risk during military operations.
As investigations continue, attention is likely to remain focused on how the attacks occurred and whether additional safeguards can be introduced to protect merchant sailors operating in increasingly volatile waters.
