India Summons US Envoy Again Over Fatal Ship Attacks

India has lodged a strong protest with the United States over American naval actions in the Gulf region, which have tragically claimed the lives of three Indian nationals and forced the evacuation of numerous sailors. The Indian Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned US Deputy Chief of Mission Jason Meeks on June 12, marking the second such summons in just three days. New Delhi conveyed its "strong protest" regarding the repeated attacks by the US Navy on commercial vessels carrying Indian crew members.

The ministry stated that these attacks caused "tragic and entirely avoidable deaths" of three Indian citizens. The previous summons on June 10 followed a US attack on the oil tanker MT Settebello, flying the flag of Palau, which resulted in the deaths of three Indian sailors. Prior to that, on June 8, the oil tanker MT Marivex, also under the flag of Palau, was attacked, prompting Omani authorities to rescue 24 Indian sailors by helicopter.

Most recently, on June 11, an oil tanker flying the flag of Guinea-Bissau was hit in a US attack. The Indian government confirmed that its entire crew, including 20 Indian nationals, were safely rescued. A US State Department official acknowledged that Washington is in direct communication with the Indian government regarding these incidents.

Randhir Jaiswal, spokesperson for India's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, described the escalating attacks on maritime activity in the region as "extremely worrying" and directly linked to the ongoing Middle East conflict. "These attacks must stop," he emphasized. Amidst the heightened security concerns, India's Directorate General of Shipping has advised all Indian seafarers on vessels transiting conflict zones to maintain the highest level of vigilance. India is a major contributor to the global maritime industry, with over 320,000 Indian sailors employed worldwide as of 2025.

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The attacks must stop.