US chargé d’affaires Jason Meeks was called to the Ministry of External Affairs around 2 pm, where Additional Secretary (Americas) Nagaraj Naidu formally conveyed India’s strong objections. According to officials familiar with the matter, the protest followed continued US military action even after an earlier summons was issued on Wednesday.
In an official statement, the Ministry of External Affairs said, “A strong protest was lodged with [Meeks] regarding the continuing attacks by US naval forces on commercial vessels carrying Indian mariners in the Gulf of Oman, which have already resulted in the tragic and avoidable loss of three Indian lives.”
The ministry further expressed grave concern over the “use of lethal and deadly force” against civilian shipping, stating that such actions are unacceptable and undermine the safety, security, and stability of international maritime commerce in a sensitive region during a tense period. India also urged the American side to ensure that its forces operating in the region take all necessary precautions to prevent further loss of civilian life.
The summons came a day after US forces targeted MT Jalveer, a tanker carrying 20 Indian crew members, off Shinas port in Oman on Thursday. Meeks remained at the ministry for nearly 40 minutes, officials said.
The US Central Command has stated that it carried out operations to disable three vessels this week—MT Marivex on June 8, MT Settebello on June 9, and MT Jalveer on June 11—on the grounds that they were attempting to breach a US blockade of Iranian ports. A US combat aircraft reportedly fired two Hellfire missiles into the engine room of MT Jalveer to disable it.
None of the vessels involved were Indian-flagged. MT Marivex and MT Settebello were registered under Palau, while MT Jalveer was flagged to Guinea-Bissau. However, all three vessels carried Indian crew members.
Three Indian sailors aboard MT Settebello, previously reported missing, were confirmed dead on Thursday, just hours after the strike on MT Jalveer. Among the deceased was Aditya Sharma, a 23-year-old resident of Himachal Pradesh, who was serving as a deck cadet in training to become a licensed ship officer.
Omani armed forces have rescued more than 60 Indian crew members across the three vessels, including 24 from MT Marivex, 21 from MT Settebello, and 20 from MT Jalveer.
Earlier this week, the Ministry of External Affairs had already issued a statement condemning the strike on MT Settebello, although it did not specify the party responsible at that time.
Public anger has intensified in India following the deaths of the three seafarers, particularly given the country’s strategic partnership with the United States within the Quad framework. Former Foreign Secretary Kanwal Sibal, commenting on social media, urged diplomatic pressure on the United States rather than justification of its actions at the cost of Indian lives. He stated that regardless of Iran’s actions, the US blockade was illegal, and also noted that US Central Command had expressed no regret over the deaths of Indian seamen.
The incident has sharply escalated diplomatic tensions and raised serious questions over maritime security, the use of force in international waters, and the protection of civilian lives in conflict-sensitive regions.
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