India Summons U.S. Diplomat Again Over Deaths of Three Indian Seafarers
New Delhi — India on Friday summoned U.S. Charge d’Affaires Jason Meeks for the second time in recent days to protest continuing attacks on commercial vessels off the coast of Oman, including one that killed three Indian seafarers.
The Ministry of External Affairs had earlier lodged a “strong protest” over attacks on vessels operating near the Strait of Hormuz, including the commercial ship Settebello off Oman’s coast, where three Indian nationals died.
“We had summoned the US CdA to register our protest on the attack that happened on this commercial vessel off the coast of Oman Settebello. Three Indian nationals have died in that incident. We conveyed our deepest concerns on these incidents and the string of attacks that are happening. And we hope and expect that these would end, these would come to an immediate halt. Also our deep concerns regarding targeting of commercial ships, of marine personnel, as also civilian infrastructure. So, we conveyed our concerns to the American side, to the US side on these attacks,” MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said during a media briefing Thursday.
The United States said Thursday that it is in “direct contact” with India on the issue.
“The Department of State is in direct contact with the Indian government regarding this matter,” a U.S. State Department official told IANS.
India has repeatedly stressed the need to keep the Strait of Hormuz open to international shipping. The waterway is one of the world’s most important energy transit routes and carries a major share of global oil and gas exports. It has become increasingly sensitive amid rising tensions and military activity in the region.
The MEA said all three vessels involved in the recent incidents were foreign-flagged ships.
“As you would have seen in the various reports, as also in what was clarified through our statements and otherwise from this podium, the three ships that have been involved in the incidents are foreign-flagged. Two of them are Palau-flagged, and the third one, which came under attack today, is Guinea-flagged. They are not Indian owned ships, they are all foreign flagships. I also understand that two of them are OFAC-sanctioned ships and one of them also is in the category of a non-compliant ship,” Jaiswal said.
India has one of the world’s largest seafaring workforces, with thousands of Indian nationals serving aboard merchant vessels in the Gulf and other international waters. New Delhi has regularly raised concerns over maritime security when regional conflicts threaten commercial shipping lanes. (Source: IANS)
