Growing Tensions: Indian Seafarers Caught in Crossfire as U.S. Strikes Third Vessel off Oman

As diplomatic protests mount, the safety of Indian crews hangs in the balance following three separate U.S. Navy strikes in the Strait of Hormuz region within just four days.

The bitumen carrier Jalveer was drifting off the coast of Shinas, Oman, on Thursday, June 11, 2026, when it became the latest vessel to face the U.S. military’s precision fire. This marks the third ship carrying Indian seafarers to be attacked in less than a week. While the 20 Indian crew members on the Guinea-Bissau flagged vessel are reported safe and currently undergoing evacuation, the incident has escalated into a major diplomatic flashpoint between New Delhi and Washington.

The pattern of these strikes is calculated. U.S. Centcom confirmed that its forces targeted the engine rooms of the vessels, aiming to disable propulsion without necessarily sinking the hulls. However, the human cost of this strategic containment is already evident. On Monday and Wednesday, U.S. aircraft struck the Palau-flagged tankers Marivex and Settebello, respectively. The Ministry of External Affairs confirmed on Thursday that three Indian seafarers lost their lives during the attack on the Settebello. Among the victims was 23-year-old deck cadet Aditya Sharma, whose family in Himachal Pradesh is now pleading for the repatriation of his remains.

A Diplomatic Crisis

The Indian government has shifted from caution to confrontation. On Wednesday, the External Affairs Ministry summoned U.S. Chargé d’affaires Jason Meeks to lodge a “strong protest.” While New Delhi acknowledges the broader U.S.-Iran conflict driving these hostilities, the government has made it clear that the targeting of merchant vessels with Indian nationals on board is “deeply worrisome.”

The Directorate General of Shipping had issued an advisory as early as mid-February, warning shipowners and recruiters against deploying crews on vessels transiting Iranian ports. However, official sources indicate that the seafarers aboard these three ships had joined their respective vessels before that advisory was formally issued, leaving them effectively trapped in a high-stakes geopolitical theatre they did not choose to enter.

Why it matters

This string of attacks exposes the perilous intersection of maritime commerce and regional proxy wars. By targeting vessels suspected of carrying Iranian oil, the U.S. is essentially using "surgical" strikes to enforce sanctions, but the human fallout is falling squarely on nations like India, which provide a significant portion of the global seafaring workforce.

The bigger picture is that the Strait of Hormuz—the world’s most vital energy artery—is becoming increasingly unnavigable for merchant fleets. If these strikes continue, India may face a dual challenge: protecting its citizens from becoming collateral damage and managing the economic strain on its shipping sector. For now, the focus remains on the safe extraction of the Jalveer crew, but the incident signals a dangerous new phase where Indian mariners are increasingly vulnerable to the shifting tides of superpower influence.