S Jaishankar has conveyed India’s strong protest to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio after three Indian mariners were killed in an attack on a commercial vessel in the Gulf of Oman.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar spoke with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and reiterated India's protest over attacks that killed three Indian mariners. | Photo: ANI
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Saturday spoke with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and conveyed India’s strong protest over naval actions in the Gulf that led to the deaths of three Indian mariners.
In a post on X, Jaishankar said he had reiterated India’s position during the call with Rubio.
Advertisement
“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. Such lethal actions against commercial shipping are not justified,” he wrote.
Advertisement
The diplomatic outreach follows the deaths of three Indian crew members aboard MT Settebello, a commercial tanker that came under attack in the Gulf of Oman earlier this week. The vessel had 24 Indian nationals on board. Twenty-one crew members were rescued, while the remaining three were later confirmed dead.
On Friday, the Ministry of External Affairs summoned US Chargé d’Affaires Jason Meeks and lodged a fresh protest over continuing attacks on commercial vessels carrying Indian mariners in the region.
The ministry conveyed its concern over the use of lethal force against civilian shipping and said such actions threaten the safety and stability of international maritime commerce. It also urged the US side to take steps to prevent further loss of civilian lives.
The latest démarche marked the second time in recent days that the US mission in New Delhi was called in over attacks involving vessels carrying Indian crew members.
The MEA had earlier confirmed that the three Indian seafarers who lost their lives in the MT Settebello incident had been identified. Efforts are underway to bring their mortal remains back to India.
MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal had said the vessels involved in the recent incidents were foreign-flagged ships. He also noted that the attacks had originated from US naval forces operating in the area.
Advertisement
