Earlier this week, the US military attacked an oil tanker flying the Palau flag in the Gulf of Oman, resulting in the death of three Indian crew members.
According to the website 'India Today', Indian Foreign Minister Sajjan spoke with U.S. Secretary of State Rubio on June 13, and India once again expressed strong protest over the attack.
Last night, I spoke by phone with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. I reiterated India's strong condemnation of the U.S. Navy attacks on merchant ships in the Persian Gulf that resulted in the deaths of three Indian sailors. Such actions against commercial vessels are utterly senseless. -Sujeki Singh on X (formerly Twitter)
Sujie Sheng's X account screenshot
According to a press release issued by the United States Department of State, Rubio emphasized in the conversation with Suhayr that the U.S. military is “committed to maintaining peace and security in the Strait of Hormuz,” and that all merchant ships should “immediately comply with U.S. military instructions.” Rubio also stated that “violations of U.S. embargo orders and illegal transportation of Iranian oil will not be tolerated.”
Regarding the indifferent and tough attitude of the US Department of State, Shashi Tharoor, a member of the Congress Party from the Lok Sabha (lower house of parliament), was deeply shocked. On the 13th, he stated on social media that the US "has not shown any regret or condolences for the deaths of innocent Indians. How can a 'friend' and strategic partner be so indifferent?"
"Almost every ship sailing in these key waterways had Indian crew members. Are they now legitimate targets for US missiles?" Talur asked.
Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump accused Iran of launching a failed drone attack against an Indian ship. On June 12, he wrote on his own social platform “Truth Social”: “Their (Iranian) drone attack last night against an Indian ship departing the Strait of Hormuz was thwarted. Such behavior is completely unacceptable.”
Since this week, three ships carrying Indian crew have been attacked in Oman waters near the Strait of Hormuz.
On June 9th, local time, the US military attacked the tanker ‘Sett Bello’ flying the Palau flag in the Oman Gulf, causing the ship to catch fire and resulting in the death of three Indian crew members. On the 10th, the US Central Command issued a statement stating that the ship had ‘violated the United States’ blockade order’ and was attempting to transport oil from Iran. After the crew failed to comply with US military instructions, an American aircraft launched precision-guided weapons at the oil tank room, causing the ship to lose power.
On June 11th, another oil tanker named 'Jarville', carrying 20 Indian crew members, was attacked near Oman. The U.S. Central Command claimed that the 'Jarville' was attempting to 'cross the Hormuz Strait without permission'.
After a series of events, the Indian Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned US Deputy Counselor in India, Jason Mikes, twice within three days to express strong protest over the attack on the ship.
However, as of the time of publication, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi remained silent on this issue. Rahul Gandhi, leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha, accused on social media on the 12th: "A compromising Prime Minister cannot protect the children of India, because he lacks both the courage and the strength to confront those who take their lives."
On the 13th, Modi will have official visits to France and Slovakia. He will also attend the G7 Summit in Évry-sur-Orne, France, next week. According to Reuters, a U.S. official stated that U.S President Donald Trump will meet with Modi during the summit, and both sides will discuss trade issues at that time.
