The government summoned Iran's envoy after an Indian citizen was killed in an attack on a ship

Iranian diplomats including Deputy Chief of Mission (DCM) Mohammad Javad Hosseini arrive at the MEA as they were summoned by the Ministry of External Affairs over the recent attack on merchant vessels in Hormuz, Delhi on Tuesday, July 14, 2026. | Photo credit: ANI

India on Tuesday (July 14, 2026) summoned Iran’s deputy chief of mission and registered a “strong protest” after one Indian sailor died and several were seriously injured when two UAE-flagged energy tankers carrying Indian sailors were hit by Iranian cruise missiles earlier in the day.

External Affairs Ministry official spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the Indian side expressed “deepest concern” over the incident in the Strait of Hormuz and called for “de-escalation”.

“We strongly condemn these attacks and acts of violence targeting seafarers and disrupting free and safe navigation in international waters such as the Strait of Hormuz. We also reiterate our deep concern over the resumption of attacks and escalation of hostilities in the West Asian region and call for an immediate end to violence and a return to dialogue and diplomacy for the sake of peace, security and stability in the region,” the ministry said.

“We have lost a precious Indian life and several Indian nationals have been injured, several of them are also seriously injured – that is why we have expressed our strongest protest with the Iranian side on this particular matter. These attacks which we have condemned must stop as soon as possible – at the same time there should be de-escalation and both sides should come to the negotiating table and take the path of peaceful dialogue and diplomacy in West Asia,” Mr Jawal said. for “the safe and undisturbed navigation and flow of trade through the Straits of Hormuz”.

India’s protest came hours after the MT Al Bahiyah and MT Mombasa, carrying about 30 Indian sailors out of a total crew of 46, came under attack from the Iranian side while passing through the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday (July 14) morning. One Indian crew member out of 12 Indians on board Al Bahiyah died and one was injured. Of the 18 Indian sailors on board the MT Mombasa, nine sustained injuries while two are “reportedly seriously injured”, the ministry said. Indian diplomats and other officials in the UAE are closely monitoring the situation and extending assistance to the affected Indians on board both vessels.

The UAE Ministry of Defense previously announced that the two tankers were targeted by two Iranian cruise missiles “while passing through the southern sea route of the Strait of Hormuz in the territorial waters of Oman”. Apart from the Indian nationals, two Ukrainian nationals were also injured in the incident, UAE authorities said. The UAE condemned the incident, calling it a “blatant attack” and a “serious breach and clear violation of international law”.

The Indian government said targeting commercial shipping and civilian infrastructure in the region “must stop”. There are several cases of Indians dying in the war that began on February 28 when the US and Israel launched a military campaign against Iran. According to Indian government sources, the number of Indians killed in the Gulf region during the conflict has reached 13 and at least three are missing. In addition to the war deaths, at least 12 Indian workers died in June in an explosion at the LNG complex in Ras Laffan, Qatar, as the facility, which had been damaged earlier by Iranian bombing, was undergoing tests to reopen.

Our statement on attacks on merchant vessels

🔗 https://t.co/ApWdLnC5Tt pic.twitter.com/BZcxl6Awqd

— Randhir Jaiswal (@MEEAIndia) July 14, 2026

Published – 14 Jul 2026 17:51 IST