Key facts
- India's External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar protested to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio about US Navy attacks that killed three Indian mariners.
- Jaishankar stated that lethal actions against commercial shipping are not justified.
- The US has agreed to examine the circumstances that led to the civilian deaths.
- India has summoned the US charge d'affaires Jason Meeks twice to protest the military actions.
- President Donald Trump accused Iran of attempting to hit Indian ships.
- Three Indian sailors were killed when a Hellfire missile was fired on a tanker.
India has escalated its protest over the killing of three Indian mariners by the US military off the coast of Oman, with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar calling his counterpart Marco Rubio. Jaishankar stated that the killing of civilians cannot be justified and that such lethal actions against commercial shipping are not justified.
Jaishankar reiterated India's strong protest after US forces carried out at least three strikes on merchant vessels off the coast of Oman that had Indian crewmembers on board as part of efforts to blockade Iran. While several Indians were rescued, three were killed when a Hellfire missile was fired on a tanker.
Sources indicated that the US side has agreed to look into the matter and examine the circumstances that led to the killing of civilians. The incident has evoked a strong reaction domestically and is expected to cast a shadow over a potential meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Trump at the G7 summit.
India has summoned the US charge d'affaires Jason Meeks twice to lodge a strong protest over the continued US military action. The US Central Command has taken responsibility for the attacks, though President Trump accused Iran of attempting to hit Indian ships.
Earlier incidents included a Palau-flagged oil tanker with 24 Indian seafarers being disabled by US forces on June 8, with no injuries reported. On June 10, a Palau-flagged tanker was struck, killing three of the 24 Indian sailors. On Thursday, a Guinea-Bissau-flagged tanker with 20 Indians was also affected.