New Delhi:
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor has strongly criticised Washington’s response over the killing of three Indian crew members whose ship came under a US attack in the Gulf region last week.
He has called the US an “insensitive friend” after it refused to express regret over the loss of innocent Indian lives despite being the country’s strategic partner.
Tharoor sought to know why non-lethal means are not used to stop non-compliant ships in the region, which is fraught with risks due to the ongoing Iran war and the US blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.
India’s Protest, Rubio’s Reply
At least 24 Indians and four foreigners were on board the Palau-flagged oil tanker Settebello when it came under attack off the Oman coast last week. While 21 Indians were rescued, three died. The victims were identified as deck cadet Aditya Sharma, engine fitter Shivanand Chaurasiya, and chief engineer Patnala Suresh.
India immediately lodged a diplomatic protest with the US, with Foreign Minister S Jaishankar telling his counterpart Marco Rubio that such lethal actions were “not justified”.
Read: “Not Justified”: S Jaishankar To Marco Rubio On Killing Of 3 Indian Sailors
Responding to him, the US said in a statement that Rubio has stressed that any violation of the US blockade and illicit transport of Iranian oil through the Straits of Hormuz will not be tolerated.
“The Secretary stressed that all commercial vessels should immediately comply with orders from US forces as they seek to uphold peace and security in the Strait,” said State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott.
Shashi Tharoor’s Criticism
Tharoor said he was “deeply shocked” to read the US statement that contained “no expression of regret or condolence” for the loss of innocent Indian lives.
“How can a “friend” and strategic partner be so deeply insensitive? Why couldn’t a non-compliant commercial vessel have been stopped using other, non-lethal means? Is it not possible to disable a ship’s propulsion or steering without firing missiles targeted to kill civilian crew members?” he asked.
Deeply shocking to read this official US statement, which contains absolutely no expression of regret or condolence for the loss of innocent Indian lives. How can a “friend” and strategic partner be so deeply insensitive?
Why couldn’t a non-compliant commercial vessel have been… pic.twitter.com/heUIOGuulG
— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) June 13, 2026
The former diplomat also pointed out that practically every merchant ship navigating the Gulf waters has Indian crew and asked if all are considered fair game for US attacks.
“This approach is unacceptable, and I hope S Jaishankar had said so to Marco Rubio,” he said.
Read: Violations Of Hormuz Blockade Won’t Be Tolerated: Rubio To S Jaishankar
Attacks On Tankers In Gulf
At least three foreign tankers with Indian crew members have come under attack by the US Navy in the Gulf of Oman, near the Strait of Hormuz, in the past week. This included the MT Marivex, Settlebello, and Jalveer.
The US military has said that its forces had been targeting vessels that allegedly failed to comply with their orders while trying to transport Iranian oil despite the US blockade.
India has said that such attacks on merchant ships were “deeply concerning” and called for an end to such attacks.
The lethal action comes amid heightened tensions in the Middle East region and has severely disrupted commercial shipping.
