India Lodges Strong Protest with US Over Attack Killing Three of Its Sailors

Moscow (ANTARA) - Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar has lodged a strong protest with the United States regarding an attack on a vessel carrying Indian sailors in the Gulf of Oman, which resulted in the deaths of three Indian nationals.

In a post on the X platform on Friday, Jaishankar stated that he had conveyed these objections directly to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

“I reiterate India’s strong protest against the US Navy attack in the Gulf region that killed three Indian sailors,” said Jaishankar. He emphasised that attacks on merchant vessels cannot be justified.

Previously, the Indian Ministry of Foreign Affairs had summoned the US Chargé d’Affaires in New Delhi, Jason Meeks, to deliver an official protest regarding the incident.

Meanwhile, the US Central Command stated on Thursday that its forces had disabled an oil tanker flying the flag of Guinea-Bissau in the Gulf of Oman, due to suspected violations of a blockade against Iran.

Tensions in the region have escalated since the United States and Israel launched attacks on targets in Iran on 28 February. The conflict has reportedly resulted in more than 3,000 deaths.

Washington and Tehran subsequently announced a ceasefire on 7 April, which remains officially in effect. Nevertheless, both nations are still engaged in negotiations to agree on a framework for a memorandum of understanding, while occasional limited attacks continue to occur between the two parties.