India says US attack on ships off Oman coast ‘must cease and desist’, protests strongly | Today’s news
India has lodged a strong protest with the US over US attacks on ships carrying Indian sailors in West Asia, External Affairs Ministry spokesman Randhir Jaiswal said on Thursday.
The ministry condemned Wednesday’s attack on the Palau-flagged MT Settebello off the coast of Oman and near the Strait of Hormuz, which killed three Indian sailors.
The U.S. Central Command acknowledged the attack, saying the vessel violated the ongoing U.S. blockade of Iranian ports by attempting to transport oil from Iran.
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Three Indian sailors were killed in a US Navy attack on the Palau-flagged MT Settebello off the coast of Oman, India’s Ministry of External Affairs confirmed.
India lodged a strong protest as the attacks involved ships carrying Indian sailors resulting in loss of life and emphasized the need for the welfare and safety of its maritime community.
The U.S. Central Command said the vessels broke the blockade of Iranian ports by attempting to transport oil, prompting military action against them.
India summoned the US chargé d’affaires to express its strong objection and call for an immediate halt to attacks on shipping, and called for dialogue and diplomacy to resolve the conflict.
Yes, due to the ongoing conflict and attacks on foreign-flagged vessels in the region, it is advisable for Indian-flagged vessels to exercise caution and consider alternative routes.
A similar attack on a Guinea-Bissau-flagged vessel, the bitumen tanker MT Jalveer, carrying 20 Indian sailors, was confirmed by the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways on Thursday. This was the third such attack on ships with Indian sailors on board.
The Ministry of External Affairs clarified that all three ships involved in these incidents were foreign-flagged vessels.
“Two of them were Palau-flagged, while the third ship that was attacked today was Guinea-flagged. They were not Indian-owned ships; they were all foreign-flagged ships,” Jaiswal said.
“…we have condemned the attack on a ship off the coast of Oman in which we unfortunately lost three Indian citizens,” he said.
India protests: ‘Attacks came from US Navy’
A Foreign Office spokesman said that when the attack on the MT Settebello took place, “we made a strong protest to the US side.”
“These attacks came from the US Navy stationed there,” he said.
“We have summoned the American chargé d’affaires and expressed our deepest concern over the ongoing incidents of attacks,” the MEA said.
The ministry gave details: “We have also registered our strong protest with them. We have emphasized that the welfare of our maritime community is of the utmost importance and that these attacks must stop.”
India seeks end to US attacks on ships
Jaiswal said the Indian side has conveyed that dialogue and diplomacy are the way forward for a peaceful resolution of the conflict and that there should be unrestricted access through the Strait of Hormuz in accordance with international law.
“That is why we have made our position very clear on each of these points, while reiterating how important the lives, well-being and safety of our people are,” he said.
The MEA said the ongoing attacks on shipping in the region are deeply concerning and are a direct result of the ongoing conflict in the region.
“These attacks must cease and desist. We also call for dialogue and diplomacy so that we can soon return to peace and stability in the region,” Jaiswal noted.
