India summoned US chargé d'affaires Jason Meeks to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in New Delhi and issued an official protest note following the killing of three Indian sailors on an oil tanker off the coast of Oman.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that attacks by US naval forces on commercial vessels are unacceptable. New Delhi argued that such actions undermine the safety, security, and stability of international commercial maritime transport.
The Indian government also requested that its concerns be strongly conveyed to officials in Washington. It emphasized that US forces must take all necessary precautions to prevent civilian casualties while operating in the region.
The protest came after the deaths of three Indian crew members aboard the Palau-flagged oil tanker M/T Settebello. It was noted that a total of 24 Indian nationals were on board the vessel.
India’s Minister for Ports, Shipping, and Waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal, stated that the sailors were killed in a US military attack on the ship off the coast of Oman.
The US Central Command had previously stated that the M/T Settebello was targeted after the crew failed to comply with instructions from American forces. According to the command, the attack targeted the engine room as part of enforcing a maritime blockade on Iran-linked ports and vessels.
On the same day, US Energy Secretary Chris Wright said that with Washington’s support, 7 million barrels of oil were exported from the Strait of Hormuz.