Washington told New Delhi that commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz must immediately obey orders from US forces, intensifying a diplomatic dispute after three seafarers from India were killed in strikes on tankers off Oman.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio delivered the warning during a call with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, saying violations of the US blockade and illicit transport of Iranian oil would not be tolerated. The message came as Jaishankar lodged a strong protest over US Navy attacks on commercial shipping in the Gulf, calling lethal action against civilian vessels unjustified.
The exchange has pushed a maritime security crisis into the centre of India-US diplomacy at a sensitive moment, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump expected to discuss trade and wider geopolitical issues on the margins of the G7 summit in France. The deaths of the seafarers have already triggered anger among families, shipping groups and opposition parties, while Washington has shown no sign of easing its enforcement campaign against vessels it says are linked to Iranian oil.
The immediate trigger was the strike on the Palau-flagged tanker Settebello off Oman. Twenty-one crew members were rescued, while three were later confirmed dead after being reported missing. The vessel was among three ships with crews from India hit by US forces during the week, bringing the risks faced by merchant mariners into sharper focus as the conflict around Iran spills into commercial shipping lanes.
A second tanker, Marivex, was disabled earlier after US forces said it had ignored orders and attempted to move towards an Iranian port. A third, the Guinea-Bissau-flagged Jalveer, was struck in the engine room after repeated warnings, with all 20 crew members reported safe. US Central Command has maintained that the targeted vessels were involved in attempts to evade the blockade and move Iranian oil through the Gulf of Oman.
New Delhi summoned US Charge d’Affaires Jason Meeks and conveyed that strikes on commercial vessels carrying seafarers from India were unacceptable. The Ministry of External Affairs has asked Washington to stop such attacks and ensure the safety of civilian shipping. Government agencies have also been put on alert to respond to contingencies involving seafarers and maritime assets in the Gulf.
Rubio’s response signalled that Washington sees the issue less as an isolated casualty case and more as part of its wider effort to enforce pressure on Tehran. The US blockade, imposed in April, is designed to choke off Iranian oil revenues amid the wider conflict involving the US, Israel and Iran. The measure has disrupted one of the world’s most important energy corridors and increased the operational burden on ships, insurers and crewing firms.
The Strait of Hormuz normally carries about 20 million barrels of oil a day, roughly a fifth of global petroleum liquids consumption and around a quarter of seaborne oil trade. The corridor is particularly important for Asian buyers, including China, Japan, South Korea and India. Limited pipeline alternatives through Saudi Arabia and the UAE mean any prolonged disruption has a direct effect on crude flows, freight rates and energy security.
The conflict has already altered tanker behaviour. More vessels are travelling with heightened security protocols, while some cargoes have moved with transponders switched off or through indirect routes to reduce exposure. Maritime analysts say such practices raise the danger of misidentification, accidents and escalation, especially in waters where naval forces, drones and commercial ships are operating in close proximity.
India’s concern is sharpened by its role in global shipping labour. Seafarers from India make up a substantial share of the world’s merchant crews, placing them on vessels registered under multiple flags and owned by companies across jurisdictions. That structure makes accountability complicated when military enforcement, sanctions compliance and flag-state responsibilities collide.
The political fallout has grown at home. Opposition leaders have questioned whether the government has responded firmly enough to Washington and demanded greater transparency on the Rubio-Jaishankar conversation. The government has so far focused on consular support, diplomatic protest and coordination with shipping authorities, while avoiding any wider rupture in ties with the US.
