Key facts
- India summoned the US chargé d'affaires, Jason Meeks, to protest a strike on the MT Settebello vessel off Oman.
India summoned the US chargé d'affaires to protest a strike on the MT Settebello vessel, which resulted in three Indian crew members missing. India condemned the attack and called for an end to such actions.
The incidents raise concerns about the safety of international shipping and the potential for escalation in the region, impacting global trade routes and diplomatic relations between India and the United States.
India has summoned the US chargé d'affaires, Jason Meeks, to protest a military strike on the MT Settebello vessel off the coast of Oman, which resulted in three Indian crew members going missing and 21 others being rescued. This incident marks the second time in a week that a vessel with Indian crew members has been attacked by the US military near Oman, reportedly for violating a blockade on Iran. The US Central Command stated that a precision strike was executed on the vessel's engine room after the crew failed to comply with directions from American forces. The US also released video footage of the strike and indicated that eight vessels have been disabled in the past two days as part of efforts to curb Iranian oil exports amid regional tensions.
Following the incident and the confirmation of three missing Indian seafarers, India's Ministry of External Affairs demanded that attacks on ships cease. Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated that a third ship, named Jalveer, was attacked by the US Navy. India reiterated its call for dialogue and diplomacy to ensure an early return to peace and stability in the region, emphasizing that the targeting of commercial shipping and civilian infrastructure must end and free navigation through international waterways must be restored.