India has summoned a senior U.S. diplomat after American forces opened fire on a tanker carrying 24 Indian crew members in the Gulf of Oman, an incident that left three Indian sailors missing and heightened tensions between New Delhi and Washington.
India’s Ministry of External Affairs confirmed on Wednesday that it had called in Jason Meeks, the deputy chief of mission at the U.S. Embassy in New Delhi, following the attack.
According to the U.S. military’s Central Command (CENTCOM), American forces carried out what it described as a “precision strike” against the Palau-flagged tanker Settebello on Tuesday evening while it was transiting the Gulf of Oman with a cargo of Iranian oil. U.S. officials said the vessel failed to comply with instructions issued by American naval forces.
The Settebello, a chemical and oil products tanker, later reported an engine room fire approximately 20 nautical miles (37 kilometers) northeast of the Omani port of Sohar, according to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) agency.
The Omani Navy responded to the vessel’s distress call and launched rescue efforts, maritime security consultancy Vanguard reported.
India’s Foreign Ministry said 21 Indian crew members had been rescued, while search operations were continuing for three sailors who remain unaccounted for.
“Our embassy in Oman is closely monitoring the situation and proactively coordinating with Omani authorities in the ongoing search-and-rescue operation,” the ministry said in a statement.
New Delhi also condemned attacks on commercial shipping and civilian infrastructure in the region, calling for restraint amid escalating tensions.
“The targeting of commercial shipping and civilian infrastructure in the region must end,” the statement added.
The incident drew international concern, with Arsenio Dominguez, head of the International Maritime Organization, denouncing actions that endanger civilian mariners.
“Any act by any party that puts seafarers’ lives at risk and threatens the safety of international shipping is unacceptable,” Dominguez said. He also expressed sympathy for the families of the missing crew members and those awaiting news of their loved ones.
The confrontation is expected to intensify scrutiny of the U.S.-led naval blockade targeting Iranian oil shipments and could further strain relations between India and the United States at a time of growing geopolitical uncertainty.
Analysts say the episode raises broader legal, diplomatic and humanitarian concerns regarding maritime security in one of the world’s most strategically important shipping corridors.
