India has strongly condemned a series of attacks on commercial vessels carrying Indian seafarers in the Gulf region, describing the incidents as “deeply worrisome” and calling for an immediate end to violence
affecting international shipping.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Thursday expressed concern over multiple attacks on vessels in West Asia over the past few days, including one that resulted in the deaths of three Indian sailors.
“There have been several incidents involving Indian seafarers in West Asia in the last few days. We attach high importance to the welfare and well-being of our seafarers’ community,” MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said.
“We condemned the attack on a ship off the coast of Oman in which, unfortunately, we lost three Indian nationals. We had summoned the US Charge d’Affaires to register a strong protest. The continuing incidents of attacks on shipping in the region are deeply worrisome and a direct result of the ongoing conflict in the region. These attacks must cease and end,” he added.
India Lodges Strong Protest With US
Providing further details, Jaiswal said India had directly raised the issue with Washington after the attack on the Palau-flagged MT Settebello near the Strait of Hormuz.
“When this particular attack happened on Palau-flagged MT Settebello, we lodged a strong protest with the American side. We called in the American CDA and informed them of our deepest concerns about the ongoing incidents of attacks, and we registered a strong protest with them,” Jaiswal said.
He added that the attacks were carried out by the US Navy operating in the region.
Jaiswal also clarified that the vessels involved in the recent incidents were foreign-flagged ships and not Indian-owned vessels.
“The three ships that have been involved in the incidents are foreign-flagged. They are not Indian-owned ships,” he said.
Three Indian Sailors Killed
Shipping Minister Sarbananda Sonowal confirmed that three Indian seafarers who were initially reported missing after the attack on MT Settebello have died.
The deceased have been identified as deck cadet Aditya Sharma, engine fitter Shivanand Chaurasiya and chief engineer Patnala Suresh.
According to the government, their bodies have been recovered.
The Palau-flagged oil tanker had a crew of 28 members, including 24 Indians, when it came under attack in the Gulf of Oman.
Three Attacks in Four Days
Additional Secretary in the Shipping Ministry Mukesh Mangal said three separate vessels carrying Indian crew members have been attacked since June 8.
The first incident involved the vessel Marivex, where a fire broke out on June 8. All 24 Indian crew members on board were safely rescued.
On June 10, MT Settebello came under attack. Of the 24 Indian sailors on board, three were killed while 21 were safely evacuated.
The latest incident occurred on June 11 when MT Jalveer was reportedly hit. Authorities said all 20 Indian seafarers aboard the vessel are safe.
Concerns Over Safety in Strait of Hormuz
Mangal said there are currently 13 Indian-flagged vessels operating in the Strait of Hormuz, carrying a total of 562 Indian seafarers.
The developments have raised concerns about the safety of Indian sailors operating in one of the world’s most critical maritime trade routes amid escalating regional tensions.
India has urged all parties to pursue dialogue and diplomacy to restore peace and stability in the region and ensure the safety of international shipping lanes.
The government has also lodged a formal protest with the United States over the attack that claimed the lives of the three Indian sailors and said it will continue monitoring the situation closely.
