India lodged a strong protest with the United States after American strikes on commercial ships in the Gulf of Oman killed three Indian mariners. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar raised the issue directly with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The United States maintained that violations of its naval blockade would not be tolerated.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar spoke with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on June 12 and reiterated India’s strong protest. He stated that lethal actions against commercial shipping were not justified. The exchange followed missile strikes on vessels including the Settebello on June 10, in which three Indian crew members died.
US officials responded that all commercial vessels must comply with orders from American forces to uphold peace and security in the Strait of Hormuz. They added that violations of the blockade and illicit transport of Iranian oil would not be tolerated. India had summoned the US charge d’affaires twice in recent days over the incidents.
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor criticised the US statement for containing no expression of regret or condolence. He questioned why non-lethal methods were not used to stop the vessels. The diplomatic row comes as Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Donald Trump prepare to attend the G7 summit in France.
