India has lodged a strong protest with the United States following a series of US attacks on commercial vessels in the Gulf region, which resulted in the deaths of three Indian seafarers. On 12/6, India's Ministry of External Affairs summoned Jason Meeks, the US deputy chief of mission, for the second time to express its "strong protest over the continuous attacks by the US Navy on commercial vessels carrying Indian sailors".

The ministry stated that these attacks "resulted in the tragic loss of three Indian lives, which was avoidable".

Jason Meeks (left) was summoned to India's Ministry of External Affairs on 12/6. *Photo: ANI*.

The first summons for Meeks occurred on 10/6, after a US attack on the Palau-flagged vessel MT Settebello off the coast of Oman killed three Indian sailors. Two days earlier, another Palau-flagged tanker, the MT Marivex, was also targeted. Oman subsequently used helicopters to evacuate 24 Indian sailors from the distressed ship.

Randhir Jaiswal, Press Secretary for India's Ministry of External Affairs, confirmed that Meeks was summoned to "register our strong protest".

Further incidents followed, with the Guinea-Bissau-flagged tanker MT Jalveer being hit in a US attack on 11/6. New Delhi reported that the ship's crew, consisting of 20 Indian nationals, was rescued. A US State Department official in Washington stated that the US government was in direct contact with India to discuss the matter.

Smoke rising from the MT Jalveer on 11/6. *Photo: X/FSUIINDIA*.

India is a major contributor to the global commercial maritime industry, with its Ministry of Shipping projecting over 320,000 active crew members by 2025. Recognizing the escalating risks, the ministry issued a warning on 11/6, advising all Indian seafarers to "exercise extreme caution" when transiting conflict-affected waters.

Jaiswal reiterated India's deep concern: "The continuous attacks on shipping in the region are deeply concerning and a direct consequence of the ongoing conflict there. These attacks must cease".

In a separate but related incident on 11/6, the Indian Navy successfully conducted a "risky operation" to remove an unexploded missile warhead from the crude oil tanker MT Olympic Life. This Marshall Islands-flagged tanker had been attacked off the coast of Oman on 26/5 but managed to reach Kochi port in southern India safely. The Indian Navy reported that "the projectile penetrated the ship's hull, passed through several structural compartments, and lodged inside a fuel tank".

Location of Iran and the Strait of Hormuz. *Graphic: Guardian*.

These maritime incidents occur in a region already tense due to Iran's restrictions on shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. This critical waterway, which typically handles about 20% of the world's oil and gas, has seen reduced activity since US and Israeli attacks on Iran on 28/2. In response, the US has also imposed a blockade on Iranian seaports.

Thanh Tam (According to AFP, Reuters)