India strongly condemned on Thursday the attack on an Indian-flagged cargo vessel off the coast of Oman, calling it "unacceptable" and expressing relief that all crew members on board were rescued safely.
The latest maritime incident drew New Delhi into the widening fallout from the ongoing US-Israel-Iran conflict in the Persian Gulf.
The Ministry of External Affairs issued a terse but pointed statement. "The attack on an Indian-flagged ship off the coast of Oman yesterday is unacceptable and we deplore the fact that commercial shipping and civilian mariners continue to be targeted," the MEA spokesperson said. "All Indian crew on board are safe and we thank the Omani authorities for rescuing them."
India added a broader policy position, reiterating "that targeting commercial shipping and endangering innocent civilian crew members, or otherwise impeding freedom of navigation and commerce, should be avoided".
The statement, issued by MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, also said that the Indian crew on board the ship was safe and expressed gratitude to the Omani authorities for rescuing them.
“India reiterates that targeting commercial shipping and endangering innocent civilian crew members, or otherwise impeding freedom of navigation and commerce, should be avoided,” the statement added.
However, the statement did not clarify who carried out the attack.
ALSO READ: Iran's Abbas Araghchi Meets S Jaishankar In Delhi For BRICS Meeting — Watch
Essential Business Intelligence, Continuous LIVE TV, Sharp Market Insights, Practical Personal Finance Advice and Latest Stories — On NDTV Profit.