India’s External Affairs Ministry on Thursday accused the United States Navy of attacking three foreign-flagged vessels off the coast of Oman, confirming that at least three Indian nationals were killed while 21 others were rescued. External Affairs Ministry spokesman Randhir Jaiswal told a media briefing that the strikes originated from American naval forces. “These attacks came from the US Navy stationed in the region, as reflected in various reports and as clarified through statements made from this podium. The three ships involved in these incidents were foreign-flagged vessels,” Jaiswal said.
Vessel registries and safety reports
Two of the vessels sailed under the flag of Palau while the third — attacked on Thursday — flew the flag of Guinea, Jaiswal noted, stressing that none were Indian-owned. “They were not Indian-owned ships,” he stated. The incidents have heightened concerns over the safety of Indian seafarers transiting waters near the Strait of Hormuz, with authorities confirming that 20 Indian crew members aboard the MT Jalveer were reported safe following an earlier incident off Oman.
Diplomatic protest and regional access
New Delhi lodged a “strong” protest with Washington over the fatal attacks, emphasizing the protection of its seafaring community as paramount. “We emphasized that the welfare of our seafaring community is of utmost importance and that these attacks must stop,” Jaiswal said. He further conveyed that dialogue and diplomacy remain the only viable path toward resolving the conflict with Iran, insisting that international law guarantee unimpeded passage through the Strait of Hormuz.
“We further conveyed that dialogue and diplomacy are the way forward for the peaceful resolution of the conflict [with Iran], and that there should be unimpeded access through the Strait of Hormuz in accordance with international law,” he added. On Monday, a separate vessel caught fire near Oman, though all 24 Indian crew members on board were later confirmed safe.