New Delhi: India on Friday summoned the United States ChargĂ© d’Affaires Jason Meeks for the second time this week to lodge a strong diplomatic protest over American military strikes on commercial vessels off the coast of Oman. The rare diplomatic move follows the first official confirmation from New Delhi that US Navy actions against merchant ships in the region resulted in the tragic deaths of three Indian seafarers.
The Ministry of External Affairs revealed that three separate commercial vessels manned by Indian crew members came under fire from American forces within a span of four days. On June 8, a Palau flagged oil tanker named Marivex carrying 24 Indian sailors was disabled by US forces, though all crew members were safely rescued. This was followed by a devastating strike on June 10 on another Palau flagged vessel named Settebello, which killed three of the 24 Indian nationals on board. A third vessel named Jalveer, flying the Guinea Bissau flag with 20 Indian crew members, was targeted on Thursday.
External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal confirmed that the three separate strikes came directly from the US Navy. According to official reports, Additional Secretary for Americas Nagaraj Naidu summoned the senior American diplomat to the ministry headquarters to convey India’s deep displeasure. The US Central Command stated that its forces targeted the vessels because they were operating in violation of an ongoing American economic blockade aimed at curbing Iranian oil trade and had repeatedly failed to comply with maritime directions.
The escalating military actions have sent shockwaves through the global shipping community and triggered deep anxiety among the families of Indian seafarers. Thousands of Indian professionals serve on international merchant vessels, and the direct targeting of these ships by a friendly foreign military has raised urgent security concerns.
New Delhi has strongly asserted that the targeting of commercial shipping and civilian infrastructure in international waterways must stop immediately. While India and the United States share a robust strategic and economic partnership, this direct confrontation highlights a delicate diplomatic challenge where the safety of Indian citizens remains paramount.