External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Saturday raised with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio the killing of three Indian mariners in a US military strike on a merchant vessel in the Gulf of Oman. Jaishankar, currently on a visit to Europe, spoke to the US Secretary of State on the phone.
Jaishankar's Strong Protest
“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,” the External Affairs Minister said on social media. “Such lethal actions against commercial shipping are not justified,” he added.
India Summons US Charge d'Affaires
India on Friday summoned Charge d'Affaires Jason Meeks and told him that the American military's lethal strikes on commercial vessels with Indian crew members off the coast of Oman are unacceptable. A Palau-flagged oil tanker, Marivex, carrying 24 Indian seafarers, was disabled by US forces on June 8. All crew members were safely rescued.
Subsequent Attacks
On June 10, the US struck another Palau-flagged tanker, Settebello, killing three out of the 24 Indian sailors on board. Another vessel, Jalveer, a Guinea-Bissau-flagged tanker with 20 Indians, was attacked on Thursday.
Diplomatic and Maritime Security Concerns
The incident has raised serious diplomatic tensions between India and the United States, with India demanding accountability and assurance that such actions will not be repeated. The attacks highlight the precarious security situation for commercial shipping in the region.
