The United States has conveyed a firm message to India that it will not permit illegal shipments of Iranian oil through the Gulf, even as New Delhi lodged a strong protest against recent missile strikes on vessels carrying Indian crew.
On Friday, following India’s summoning of U.S. Embassy representative Jason Meeks, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio told External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar that violations of the American blockade and the illicit transport of Iranian oil would not be tolerated.
Mr. Jaishankar, recalling his conversation with Mr. Rubio, reiterated India’s protest at the attacks by the U.S. Navy that killed three Indian mariners, stressing that such lethal actions against commercial shipping were unjustified.
The two leaders discussed the volatile situation in the Strait of Hormuz after U.S. missile strikes on three vessels — Marivex near Duqm, and Settebello and Jalveer near Shinas — which resulted in the deaths of three Indian seafarers off the coast of Oman.
The U.S. State Department stated that Mr. Rubio emphasised the need for all commercial vessels to comply immediately with orders from U.S. forces, which he said were acting to uphold peace and security in the Strait.
This divergence in positions between Washington and New Delhi comes just days before Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to meet U.S. President Donald Trump in France on the sidelines of the G7 summit, a meeting now expected to be overshadowed by maritime tensions.
The issue has sparked sharp criticism within India. Shashi Tharoor, Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on External Affairs, described the U.S. stance as deeply insensitive. He noted that the American statement contained no expression of regret or condolence for the loss of Indian lives.
Tharoor questioned why disabling a ship’s propulsion or steering was not considered instead of firing missiles that killed civilian crew members. He warned that practically every merchant vessel navigating these waters has Indian crew onboard, and asked whether they were now all considered legitimate targets for U.S. missiles.
The U.S. Central Command maintained that the crews of all three vessels had repeatedly failed to comply with directions from American forces. It described Marivex as attempting to sail towards an Iranian port. The vessel was attacked while anchored off Duqm, some 420 nautical miles from the Strait of Hormuz.
Tracking data from Marinetraffic.com showed Marivex loitering in the same area for nearly a week before the June 8 strike. However, Settebello’s management company, IOS Marine FZE, flatly contradicted the CENTCOM account, insisting that no warnings were issued and no communication was established with the U.S. Navy. The company demanded evidence of the claimed communication and pointed out that the vessel had been stationary off Shinas port for nearly ten days.
Amidst these conflicting accounts, Manoj Yadav, General Secretary of the Forward Seamen’s Union of India, posted IOS Marine’s statement on X and urged the Indian government to take immediate steps to protect Indian seafarers.
He called for the deployment of naval and intelligence support for Indian-associated vessels in the region, deeper diplomatic engagement with Oman to safeguard merchant shipping, and the issuance of clear guidance for ships operating in high-risk waters.
His appeal reflects growing concern among Indian maritime unions and families of sailors who fear that the Gulf has become increasingly perilous due to escalating U.S.-Iran hostilities.
The unfolding crisis highlights the fragile balance between India’s strategic partnership with the United States and its longstanding energy ties with Iran. With Indian lives lost and vessels targeted, New Delhi faces mounting pressure to secure safe passage for its maritime workforce while navigating the geopolitical fault lines of West Asia.
The upcoming Modi-Trump meeting in France is likely to be dominated by this issue, with India expected to press for accountability, assurances of safety for its seafarers, and a reconsideration of the U.S. approach to enforcing its blockade in the Strait of Hormuz.
Agencies
