India summons US envoy as three sailors remain missing after tanker strike in Gulf of Oman

The Indian government has summoned the deputy head of the US mission in Delhi to protest a military strike on a commercial tanker in the Gulf of Oman, describing the incident as a direct targeting of civilian infrastructure. The attack on the Palau-flagged vessel Settebello has left three Indian crew members missing, with the Indian Foreign Ministry condemning the action as a threat to global shipping stability.

According to a statement released by the Indian Foreign Ministry, 21 of the 24 crew members on board the Settebello were rescued following the incident. The ministry confirmed that three sailors remain unaccounted for, though their current status is unknown. New Delhi has called for an immediate end to such actions against commercial vessels in the region, framing the strike as a dangerous escalation that endangers non-combatant lives.

The engagement occurred as the US military announced it had fired on a tanker attempting to breach its blockade of Iran. US Central Command stated that an aircraft fired precision munitions at the vessel, which was allegedly attempting to violate the naval restrictions imposed on Tehran. The timing of the strike has drawn sharp diplomatic criticism from India, which views the incident as part of a broader pattern of risk to maritime commerce.

This marks the second time this week that US forces have engaged a Palau-flagged tanker carrying an Indian crew. Earlier in the week, a similar incident occurred involving the vessel Marivex, raising concerns in New Delhi about the safety of its nationals and commercial interests in the region. The recurrence of such engagements has intensified diplomatic pressure on Washington to clarify its rules of engagement in the contested waters.

The US blockade of Iran was initiated on 13 April following Tehran’s effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz. The move has significantly altered the security landscape in the Gulf, leading to increased military activity and heightened risks for commercial shipping. As tensions remain high, the missing crew members of the Settebello remain a focal point of diplomatic friction between India and the United States.