By Elsie Kamsiyochi
The deaths of three Indian sailors in a U.S. military strike on a tanker in the Gulf of Oman have sparked grief, anger, and growing calls for action across India, placing Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government under mounting pressure to protect the country’s thousands of seafarers working in conflict zones.
In the northern Indian district of Deoria, sorrow engulfed the home of Shivanand Chaurasia, one of the sailors killed in the attack. His wife, Sushila Devi, broke down in tears after learning that her husband would never return home. Chaurasia, the family’s sole breadwinner, left behind his wife and two young children, joining the growing list of civilian casualties caught in the widening conflict linked to the Iran war.
Surrounded by grieving relatives and neighbors, Sushila questioned why ordinary workers were being sent into increasingly dangerous waters. Her anguish reflected the concerns of many Indian families whose loved ones continue to work aboard merchant vessels operating through some of the world’s most volatile shipping routes.
The incident occurred when the Palau-flagged tanker *Settebello*, carrying a crew that included 24 Indian mariners, was struck during a U.S. military operation. According to U.S. Central Command, American forces targeted the vessel’s engine room with precision munitions after the ship allegedly failed to comply with repeated instructions issued by U.S. military personnel. The strike formed part of a broader campaign aimed at enforcing a blockade on Iranian oil shipments as tensions in the region continue to escalate.
The attack has intensified diplomatic friction between New Delhi and Washington. In a rare move, India’s Ministry of External Affairs summoned the top U.S. diplomat in New Delhi for the second time within days to register a formal protest. Indian officials expressed deep concern over the use of lethal force against civilian shipping, warning that such actions threaten maritime safety and undermine stability in one of the world’s most strategically important waterways.
The Gulf region has become increasingly dangerous since the outbreak of the Iran conflict, with commercial vessels facing heightened risks from military operations, drone attacks, and naval confrontations. The Strait of Hormuz remains a critical artery for global energy supplies, making any disruption there a matter of international concern.
The deaths of the Indian sailors have triggered widespread debate within India about whether the government’s response has been strong enough. Critics argue that merely lodging diplomatic protests falls short of the action required to protect Indian citizens working overseas. Many are calling on New Delhi to seek stronger guarantees from Washington and other regional powers regarding the safety of Indian crews operating in conflict zones.
Strategic affairs analyst Brahma Chellaney criticized what he described as a routine diplomatic response, suggesting that India should treat the deaths of its citizens as a major international issue. He argued that other major powers might have reacted far more aggressively if their nationals had been killed under similar circumstances.
Political opposition parties have also seized on the incident. The Aam Aadmi Party urged Prime Minister Modi to raise the matter directly with U.S. President Donald Trump, particularly as the two leaders are expected to meet during the upcoming Group of Seven summit. Meanwhile, the Congress Party accused the government of failing to adequately defend Indian interests abroad and called for a stronger assertion of India’s strategic autonomy.
The tragedy has also raised concerns within India’s maritime industry. India is one of the world’s largest suppliers of seafarers, second only to the Philippines, with hundreds of thousands of Indian sailors working aboard international vessels. Industry representatives fear that repeated attacks on ships in the Gulf could discourage workers from entering the profession, worsening labor shortages and creating long-term challenges for global shipping companies.
Concerns deepened further after another Indian-crewed tanker came under attack near Oman just one day later. Although no casualties were reported in that incident, it reinforced fears that merchant ships and civilian crews are increasingly vulnerable as military tensions escalate across the region.
For families like that of Shivanand Chaurasia, however, the geopolitical arguments offer little comfort. Their focus remains on the personal cost of a conflict far from home that has already claimed innocent lives. As India mourns its fallen sailors, public pressure is growing on the government to ensure that such tragedies do not happen again.
The deaths have transformed a distant international conflict into a deeply personal national issue, raising difficult questions about maritime security, diplomatic leverage, and the protection of Indian citizens working on the front lines of global commerce.
Source Reuters
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