External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar spoke to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Friday and the two officials discussed recent events in the Strait of Hormuz.
Tommy Pigott, Principal Deputy Spokesperson for the US Department of State, says, “US Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke yesterday with Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar. The two officials discussed recent events in the Strait of Hormuz. The Secretary… pic.twitter.com/OvsjGBLh0a
— ANI (@ANI) June 13, 2026
The US Secretary stressed that all commercial vessels should immediately comply with orders from US forces as they seek to uphold peace and security in the Strait. He underscored that violations of the US blockade and the illicit transport of Iranian oil will not be tolerated.
According to the Ministry of External Affairs, India, in conversation with Rubio, lodged a strong diplomatic protest with the US over a US Navy strike on an oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman that killed three Indian seafarers, with Jaishankar telling Rubio that such attacks on commercial shipping were “not justified”.
Jaishankar said he raised the issue during a phone conversation with Rubio on Friday evening.
“Spoke to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio this evening. I reiterated India’s strong protest at the attacks by the US Navy in the Gulf that killed three Indian mariners. Such lethal actions against commercial shipping are not justified,” the External Affairs Minister posted on X.
India Summons US Diplomat
Earlier in the day, the MEA summoned US Charge d’Affaires Jason Meeks and conveyed New Delhi’s strong protest over what it described as continuing attacks by US naval forces on commercial vessels carrying Indian sailors in the Gulf of Oman.
In a statement, the MEA said the attacks had resulted in the “tragic and avoidable” loss of three Indian lives and expressed deep concern over the use of lethal 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 ministry said.
India also urged Washington to ensure that US forces operating in the region take all necessary precautions to prevent civilian casualties in future operations.
Three Indian Sailors Confirmed Dead
The diplomatic intervention came after Indian authorities confirmed that three crew members who had initially been reported missing following the strike were found dead.
The Palau-flagged oil tanker Settebello was carrying a crew of 28, including 24 Indian nationals and four foreign nationals — two Pakistanis, one Ukrainian and one Russian.
Twenty-one Indian sailors were rescued after the attack, while search efforts for the missing crew members continued until their deaths were confirmed.
US Defends Strike
The US military has acknowledged carrying out the strike. According to US Central Command (CENTCOM), the tanker was targeted after it allegedly ignored repeated instructions from American naval personnel and was attempting to transport Iranian oil in violation of a US blockade.
CENTCOM said one of its aircraft fired on the vessel in the Gulf of Oman, disabling it after the crew repeatedly failed to comply with directions from US forces.
The incident occurred amid heightened tensions across West Asia, where the ongoing conflict has disrupted commercial shipping routes and increased risks to maritime traffic.
India has strongly criticised the attack, stressing that the vessel was engaged in commercial activity and carried a large number of Indian nationals.
The MEA described attacks on merchant shipping in the region as “deeply concerning” and linked them to the broader conflict in the Middle East.
“Attacks on shipping in the region are deeply worrisome and a direct result of the ongoing conflict in the region. We reiterate our call for immediate de-escalation,” the ministry said.
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