India on Friday summoned US Charged’ Affaires Jason Meeks for the second time this week after another merchant vessel carrying Indian sailors came under attack near the coast of Oman. The latest incident marks the third attack involving Indian crew members in just four days and has heightened concerns over maritime security in the Gulf region.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) called in the American diplomat as New Delhi intensified its diplomatic efforts amid growing threats to commercial shipping routes. The meeting with Meeks was held by the Additional Secretary (Americas) at the MEA. The latest move came shortly after the Directorate General of Shipping (DGS) issued a fresh security advisory for nearly 18,000 Indian seafarers working in and around the Strait of Hormuz, the Gulf of Oman and nearby waters. The warning followed a series of attacks on merchant ships involving Indian crew members.
The first incident occurred on June 8, when oil tanker MT Marivex caught fire after what maritime security sources described as a suspected strike. All 24 Indian crew members on board were reported safe. Two days later, on June 10, tanker MT Settebello came under attack in the Gulf of Oman. The vessel was carrying 24 Indian sailors. While 21 crew members were rescued, three Indian seafarers who were initially reported missing were later confirmed dead. The third incident took place on Thursday when another merchant ship was attacked off the Omani coast. Reports identified the vessel as MT Jalveer, which had 20 Indian crew members on board. Authorities have not yet disclosed the exact nature of the attack or the condition of the crew.
According to official figures, 622 Indian seafarers aboard 13 India-flagged ships are currently operating on either side of the Strait of Hormuz. In addition, nearly 18,000 Indian nationals are employed on hundreds of foreign-flagged merchant vessels across the Gulf region. India has one of the largest seafaring communities in the world, with around 3.2 lakh Indian seafarers serving on ships globally. The recent attacks have underlined the vulnerability of Indian maritime personnel as tensions and security risks continue to rise in one of the world’s busiest shipping corridors.
