India has accused the US military of striking a third vessel carrying Indian sailors in the Gulf region, escalating tensions between New Delhi and Washington as concerns grow over the safety of thousands of Indian seafarers operating near the conflict zone.
The latest incident involved MT Jalveer, a Guinea-Bissau-flagged vessel carrying 20 Indian sailors, near the Omani port of Shinas. India's shipping ministry said all crew members were safe and that evacuation efforts were under way. The US military has not commented on the reported strike.
According to India's Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), three separate attacks involving the vessels Settebello, Marivex and Jalveer were carried out by the US Navy.
US Central Command (CENTCOM) has acknowledged strikes on the tankers Settebello and Marivex but has yet to respond to India's allegation regarding Jalveer.
The incident near Shinas marks the third reported attack involving vessels linked to Indian sailors this week. Earlier, the Indian embassy in Oman confirmed that it was monitoring a maritime incident off the country's coast and coordinating with local authorities.
The developments come a day after three Indian seafarers who had gone missing aboard the tanker Settebello were confirmed dead.
Union Shipping Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said the bodies of the missing sailors had been located and identified, bringing a tragic end to the search operation.
The deaths have heightened concerns in India over the risks faced by merchant crews operating in waters affected by the widening US-Iran confrontation.
Indian officials have lodged a strong protest with Washington over the attacks. India has consistently maintained that merchant shipping should not become a target in regional conflicts and has raised the issue at international forums, including the United Nations Security Council.
The MEA said 13 Indian-linked vessels and more than 18,000 Indian sailors remain stranded across the Gulf region. Of these, 562 sailors are serving aboard Indian-flagged ships.
The government is closely monitoring the situation and assessing measures to ensure the safety of Indian nationals working on commercial vessels in the region.
CENTCOM earlier said it had disabled the Palau-flagged tankers Settebello and Marivex for allegedly violating the ongoing restrictions imposed on Iran.
According to the US military, Settebello was transporting Iranian oil while Marivex was heading towards an Iranian port.
The latest maritime incidents come at a sensitive time for India-US relations, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi expected to meet US President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the upcoming G7 summit.
The attacks and the loss of Indian lives are likely to cast a shadow over discussions between the two countries as New Delhi presses for greater protection of civilian shipping and Indian seafarers in conflict zones.
