The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Friday summoned US Charge d’Affaires Jason Meeks and lodged a strong protest over what India described as continuing attacks by US naval forces on commercial vessels carrying Indian seafarers in the Gulf of Oman.
According to the MEA, the summons was issued to convey India’s “strong concerns” over the incidents that have resulted in the death of three Indian nationals and raised serious questions over the safety of civilian shipping in the region.
In a statement, the ministry said a “strong protest was lodged” with the US diplomat over the continuing incidents involving commercial vessels carrying Indian mariners.
“The Ministry once again conveyed its deep concern over the use of lethal and deadly force against civilian shipping. Such actions are unacceptable and undermine the safety, security and stability of international maritime commerce in a sensitive region at a difficult time,” the MEA said.
Ministry of External Affairs issues statement on summoning of U.S. Chargé d’Affaires.@MEAIndia pic.twitter.com/3XFknzb1el
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The ministry further stated that the US Charge d’Affaires was requested to convey India’s concerns to Washington and ensure that US forces operating in the region take all necessary measures to prevent further loss of civilian life.
This is the second time in recent days that the US Charge d’Affaires has been summoned by the MEA over the issue. Earlier this week, India had also lodged a protest following similar incidents involving commercial vessels off the coast of Oman.
Foreign-flagged vessels involved in Oman incidents, says MEA spokesperson
At a media briefing on Thursday, MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the three vessels involved in the incidents were foreign-flagged ships and not Indian-owned. He said two of them were registered under Palau and the third under Guinea.
“These attacks came from the US Navy that is stationed there. The three ships that have been involved in the incidents are foreign flagged. Two of them are Palau flagged and the third one is Guinea flagged. They are not Indian-owned ships,” Jaiswal said.
He also stated that two of the vessels were sanctioned under the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) list, while one was classified as non-compliant.
According to officials, one of the vessels, MT Jalveer, was attacked off Shinas port in Oman. All 20 Indian crew members on board were safely rescued with the assistance of Omani authorities, the Indian Embassy in Muscat said.
In another incident on Wednesday, the commercial vessel Settebello came under attack off the coast of Oman. Of the 24 Indian crew members onboard, 21 were rescued, while three lost their lives, officials said.
A third incident involving MT Marivex was reported on Monday, when a fire broke out aboard the vessel south of the Strait of Hormuz. The ship was carrying 24 Indian seafarers.
Responding to India’s concerns, a US State Department official said Washington was in direct contact with New Delhi on the matter.
“The Department of State is in direct contact with the Indian government regarding this matter,” the official was quoted as saying.
(With IANS inputs)
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