Onlykashmir.in News Desk
India on Tuesday summoned senior Iranian diplomats, including Deputy Chief of Mission Mohammad Javad Hosseini, to the Ministry of External Affairs over Monday’s Iranian missile and drone attacks on merchant vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, an incident that left an Indian sailor dead and six others injured.
The attacks struck two UAE owned tankers, the oil tanker MV Mombasa and the LNG tanker MV Al Bahiyah, near the coast of Oman. The loss of an Indian life in the strike has heightened concern in New Delhi over the safety of Indian seafarers operating in one of the world’s busiest and most strategically sensitive maritime corridors.
The summons came amid a sharply escalating standoff between Washington and Tehran, with the United States having imposed a blockade on Iranian ports along with a 20 percent cargo fee on vessels using the waterway. The Strait of Hormuz remains a critical artery for global energy shipments, and any disruption there carries outsized consequences for oil markets and shipping traffic well beyond the immediate region.
During the meeting, India conveyed serious concern over the loss of Indian life and the broader threat posed to maritime security in the strait. The Ministry of External Affairs called for immediate restraint on all sides to prevent further escalation, while stressing the need to ensure the safety of Indian seafarers who continue to operate in and around the area despite the rising tensions.
India has traditionally sought to maintain balanced relations with both Iran and the Gulf states, given its deep economic and energy ties across the region, as well as the significant number of Indian nationals employed in the shipping and maritime sectors there. The targeting of vessels with Indian crew members complicates that balancing act, placing pressure on New Delhi to respond firmly while avoiding being drawn into the broader US-Iran confrontation.
Diplomats and analysts tracking the situation say India’s summons of the Iranian mission reflects an effort to register displeasure through established diplomatic channels rather than through public condemnation alone, a pattern consistent with India’s historical approach to West Asian crises. The Ministry of External Affairs is expected to continue monitoring the situation closely, with further engagement likely should the security situation in the strait deteriorate further.
