An Indian ship attacked near Omani coast has triggered a serious diplomatic dispute between India and the United States, with New Delhi blaming Washington for the incident involving the merchant vessel Sete Bello.
The incident took place near the coast of Oman in the Gulf of Oman, where the Indian authorities say the vessel caught fire after being struck. The attack forced emergency rescue operations as flames spread through parts of the ship.
According to Indian officials, rescue teams managed to evacuate 20 crew members safely. However, three crew members remain missing, and officials fear they may have died in the incident.
India’s Ministry of External Affairs summoned a senior representative of the United States embassy in New Delhi to lodge a formal protest. Indian authorities said they strongly object to what they described as an attack on their commercial vessel and demanded clarification from Washington.
The United States has not issued a formal response to India’s allegations. However, the U.S. military earlier stated on social media platform X that it used precision-guided weapons to target a tanker engine room in the Gulf of Oman, claiming the crew did not follow instructions issued by American forces.
The vessel’s tracking data shows that Sete Bello was partially loaded and last located near the Omani coast on June 1, according to maritime monitoring platforms.
The incident comes at a time of heightened tensions in regional sea routes, especially around the Strait of Hormuz, a key passage for global oil and gas shipments. Restrictions and security concerns in the region have repeatedly raised risks for commercial shipping.