Jason Meeks, Chargé d'Affaires of the US embassy in India has been summoned by Nagaraj Naidu, Additional Secretary (Americas) in the Ministry of External Affairs in relation to attack on an Indian-flagged vessel off the coast of Oman.
Meeks has been called to protest the strike on the commercial vessel Settebello after India condemned the attack. The ship had 24 Indian crew members onboard, of which 21 Indians have been rescued and three remain missing.
India reiterated its call for de-escalation, protection of commercial shipping, and restoration of safe navigation in international waters.
Earlier in the day, the governement had strongly condemned the attack on a commercial vessel, describing the targeting of civilian maritime traffic as unacceptable and reiterating the need to safeguard freedom of navigation and international shipping routes.
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At least three Indian crew members are missing while 21 have been rescued after a commercial vessel off the coast of Oman came under attack.
Authorities are monitoring the situation and efforts are underway to locate the missing crew members. The incident has raised fresh concerns over maritime security and the safety of Indian nationals working on international shipping routes.
In a statement, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) expressed deep concern over the incident and called for restraint amid rising tensions in the region.
The government said the safety and security of commercial shipping remain critical for global trade and energy supplies, particularly in strategically important waterways around the Gulf and the Arabian Sea.
ALSO READ: India 'Closely Monitoring' Incident Involving Vessel Off Oman Coast
The MEA noted that India is closely monitoring developments and remains engaged with relevant authorities regarding the situation.
It stressed that attacks on merchant vessels pose risks not only to seafarers but also to the stability of international commerce and maritime transportation networks.
The statement comes amid heightened security concerns in the region, where several commercial vessels have faced threats or attacks in recent months.
Such incidents have intensified worries over the safety of shipping lanes that carry a significant share of global energy exports and trade flows.
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