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4 min readNew DelhiUpdated: Jun 11, 2026 05:32 PM IST
MT Jalveer came under attack on Thursday morning. Later, the MEA confirmed that all 20 Indians onboard the vessel are safe. (Photo: X/@FSUIINDIA)
As the third vessel, MT Jalveer, with 20 Indian seafarers onboard came under attack off Oman coast on Thursday, the Centre condemned the “continuous attacks”, saying it’s “deeply concerning”. In an inter-ministerial briefing, the Shipping Ministry said all 20 Indians are safe. The Centre also said as many as 13 Indian-flagged vessels are stranded in the Strait of Hormuz.
Raising concerns amid the tense situation, the Shipping Ministry said more than 18,000 Indian seafarers are in the Gulf region.
On Wednesday, a top US diplomat was summoned in New Delhi following an attack on a commercial ship, Settebello, off the Oman coast. As many as three Indians onboard the ship were killed in the attack, and the rest of the 21 nationals were rescued.
The incidents have highlighted the growing risks faced by Indian seafarers as the conflict around the Strait of Hormuz disrupts one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes.
The Centre reiterated its call for dialogue and diplomacy to restore peace in the region. Underlining that the attacks must cease, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, “I had said that we attach high importance to the welfare and well-being of our seafaring community…When this particular attack on the ship MT Settebello occurred, we lodged a strong protest with the American side. We summoned the US Chargé d’Affaires and conveyed our deepest concern over the ongoing incidents of attacks. We also registered our strong protest with them.
“We emphasised that the welfare of our seafaring community is of utmost importance and that these attacks must stop. We further conveyed that dialogue and diplomacy are the way forward for the peaceful resolution of the conflict, and that there should be unimpeded access through the Strait of Hormuz in accordance with international law. Therefore, we made our position very clear on each of these points, while reiterating how important the lives, welfare, and safety of our people are,” Jaiswal said.
He added, “These attacks came from the US Navy stationed in the region, as reflected in various reports and as clarified through statements made from this podium. The three ships involved in these incidents were foreign-flagged vessels. Two of them were Palau-flagged, while the third ship, which came under attack today, was Guinea-flagged. They were not Indian-owned ships; all of them were foreign-flagged vessels.”
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On Monday, as many as 24 Indian crew members of a Palau-flagged merchant tanker were rescued in coordination with Omani authorities, following a “missile attack” on the vessel off the coast of Oman.
The West Asian conflict, triggered by the US-Israeli attack on Iran on February 20 and the naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, has adversely impacted Indian lives and livelihoods. It should be noted that Indian seafarers are part of the global shipping industry and have become casualties in the ongoing conflict. At least 10 Indians have been killed since the start of the war, and four remain missing.
The Strait of Hormuz is an important pathway through which 20 per cent of the global energy passes in huge carriers. Qatar, UAE, and Kuwait have all been adversely affected by the closure of the Strait, and the conflict has led to skyrocketing oil and gas prices and affected the supply of LPG to India and other nations.
English (US) ·