India has raised serious concerns after an attack on two commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz resulted in the death of an Indian sailor and injuries to ten others. On Tuesday, India called in the Deputy Chief of Mission from Iran in New Delhi to express its strong disapproval of these recent events.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) reported that the attack affected two vessels, MT Al Bahiyah and MT Mombasa, which together had a total of 30 Indian crew members onboard out of 46. Tragically, one Indian sailor aboard MT Al Bahiyah was killed, while another was injured. On MT Mombasa, nine of the 18 Indian sailors were hurt, with two reported to be in critical condition.
The MEA emphasized that India’s mission in the UAE is closely monitoring the situation and is in contact with local authorities to provide necessary assistance to the Indian seafarers involved. The ministry also extended condolences to the family of the deceased sailor and wished a swift recovery to those injured.
According to earlier statements from the UAE Ministry of Defence, the two vessels, flying the UAE flag, were hit by Iranian cruise missiles while navigating through the southern shipping lane of the Strait, which lies in Omani waters. The attacks caused fires and damage to both ships, but the flames were later extinguished.
The MEA condemned the assaults, stressing that India does not tolerate attacks on seafarers or disruptions to safe navigation in international waters. It raised alarms over the recent escalation in tensions in the region and called for an immediate halt to hostilities, emphasizing the need for dialogue and diplomatic solutions.
The incident highlights rising tensions in the Gulf, particularly given the Strait of Hormuz’s importance as a key route for global oil transport, accounting for nearly 20% of the world’s oil trade. This attack will likely increase worries in India about the safety of its thousands of seafarers working in the volatile area.
Government sources noted that since February 28, a total of 13 Indian nationals have lost their lives in incidents across the Gulf, with three still unaccounted for, underscoring the human toll of the ongoing conflicts in the region.
India imports a significant amount of its crude oil from the Gulf and has consistently advocated for maintaining open maritime routes for safe trade, recognizing that disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz can have wide-ranging consequences for global energy security and trade.
