Jaishankar Lodges Strong Protest With Rubio Over US Navy Attacks That Killed Three Indian Seafarers in Gulf of Oman

India's External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar spoke with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and reiterated a strong protest over US Navy strikes on commercial vessels in the Gulf of Oman that killed three Indian seafarers. The conversation followed India's decision to summon the US Charge d'Affaires in New Delhi for the second time in two days over the escalating maritime crisis near the Strait of Hormuz.

Quick Facts

  • Three Indian seafarers were killed in a US Navy strike on the Palau-flagged oil tanker MT Settebello in the Gulf of Oman
  • EAM S. Jaishankar spoke with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and called the attacks "not justified"
  • India summoned US Charge d'Affaires Jason Meeks twice within two days to lodge formal protests
  • Three vessels with Indian crew members were targeted this week off the coast of Oman
  • India announced an ex-gratia payment of Rs 10 lakh to the families of each deceased sailor

What Happened?

India's Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) confirmed that three Indian seafarers were killed after the US Navy struck the Palau-flagged oil tanker MT Settebello in the Gulf of Oman. According to reporting, US forces said the vessel had breached a naval blockade imposed on Iranian ports. Of the 24 Indian nationals on board, 21 were rescued, while three were later confirmed dead.

EAM Jaishankar spoke with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and reiterated India's strong protest. In a post on social media platform X, Jaishankar wrote that he had reiterated India's strong protest at the attacks by the US Navy in the Gulf that killed three Indian mariners, adding that such lethal actions against commercial shipping are not justified.

Earlier, India had summoned the US Charge d'Affaires, Jason Meeks, to the Ministry of External Affairs to lodge a strong protest regarding the continuing attacks by US naval forces on commercial vessels carrying Indian sailors in the Gulf of Oman. The MEA said in a statement that the attacks had already resulted in the tragic and avoidable loss of three Indian lives, and that the ministry once again conveyed its deep concern over the use of lethal and deadly force against civilian shipping.

Key Facts

  • The Palau-flagged tanker MT Marivex was attacked on June 8, with all crew members, including Indian nationals, safely rescued by Omani authorities
  • The Palau-flagged tanker MT Settebello was struck on June 10 (Wednesday), killing three of the 24 Indian sailors on board
  • A third vessel, the Guinea-Bissau-flagged MT Jalveer, was struck with Hellfire missiles, marking the third such attack that week
  • MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the three ships involved were foreign-flagged vessels, not Indian-owned ships
  • Jaiswal said two of the vessels were under sanctions administered by the US Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control, while the third had been classified as non-compliant
  • Of the remaining Settebello crew, 25 members, comprising 21 Indians, two Pakistanis, one Russian, and one Ukrainian, were evacuated to safety
  • Evacuation of crew from the Jalveer had also commenced, according to Mukesh Mangal, Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways
  • The US said it was in "direct contact" with the Indian government regarding the attacks

Why It Matters

The strikes mark what reporting described as New Delhi's first public acknowledgement of the US Navy directly targeting commercial ships carrying Indian seafarers. The attacks occurred amid a broader US naval blockade on Iranian ports following Iran's closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a waterway through which a significant share of global energy supplies pass. India's repeated diplomatic protests, including the summoning of a US envoy twice in two days, reflect the seriousness with which New Delhi has treated the deaths of its nationals in the conflict zone.

What It Means for India

Government data cited in reporting shows that more than 18,000 Indian seafarers are currently deployed across the Gulf region, including 562 crew members aboard 13 Indian-flagged vessels. India has announced an ex-gratia payment of Rs 10 lakh to the families of each of the three deceased sailors through the Seamen Welfare Fund Society. The MEA stated that efforts are underway to bring the mortal remains of the deceased seafarers back to India. The father of one victim, deck cadet Aditya Sharma, told NDTV that he wanted the Indian government to take a strong stance against the United States and described the attack on a commercial ship as a war crime.

Latest Developments

EAM Jaishankar's call with Rubio followed India's second summoning of US Charge d'Affaires Jason Meeks within two days. The US State Department had earlier said it remained in "direct contact" with India on the matter, though it had not immediately commented on the Jaishankar-Rubio call at the time of reporting. The MEA reiterated that the attacks, which it said came from US Navy units stationed in the region, were "unacceptable" and undermined the safety, security and stability of international maritime commerce.

Key Takeaways

  • Three Indian seafarers were killed in a US Navy strike on the tanker MT Settebello in the Gulf of Oman
  • EAM Jaishankar called the attacks "not justified" in his conversation with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio
  • India summoned the US Charge d'Affaires twice in two days to formally protest the attacks
  • The Indian government announced ex-gratia payments of Rs 10 lakh to the families of each deceased sailor
  • The MEA confirmed the three targeted vessels were foreign-flagged, not Indian-owned

Sources Consulted

  • The Week
  • Business Today
  • ANI
  • Republic World
  • NewsX
  • TRT World
  • NewKerala

Author: Manjula Devi R

Publisher: Top India News