‘Insensitive friend’: US slammed after Indian sailors killed near Hormuz

Dubai: Congress MP Shashi Tharoor has sharply criticised the United States over the killing of three Indian crew members aboard a merchant tanker in the Gulf region, calling Washington an “insensitive friend” after it declined to express regret over the deaths.

The remarks come amid rising diplomatic tension between New Delhi and Washington following the US military’s reported attack on the Palau-flagged oil tanker Settebello near the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global shipping chokepoint.

At least 24 Indians and four foreign nationals were on board when the vessel came under fire off the Oman coast last week. While 21 crew members were rescued, three Indians — identified as deck cadet Aditya Sharma, engine fitter Shivanand Chaurasiya, and chief engineer Patnala Suresh — were killed.

India has lodged a formal diplomatic protest, with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar telling US Secretary of State Marco Rubio that the use of lethal force in such incidents was “not justified”.

However, the US State Department defended its actions, saying vessels violating restrictions linked to Iranian oil shipments and US enforcement measures in the region must comply immediately with orders from American forces operating in the Strait of Hormuz.

Tharoor, a former diplomat, said he was “deeply shocked” that Washington’s response contained no expression of condolence for the loss of Indian lives.

“How can a friend and strategic partner be so insensitive?” he asked, adding that non-compliant commercial vessels could have been disabled using non-lethal methods rather than targeted strikes.

He also warned that Indian crew members form a significant share of global merchant shipping in the Gulf, questioning whether they are now exposed to similar risks amid escalating enforcement operations.

India has described the attacks on commercial vessels as “deeply concerning” and called for restraint, as tensions in the Gulf of Oman and wider Strait of Hormuz region continue to disrupt critical shipping lanes.

The latest incident adds another flashpoint to already strained maritime security conditions in the Middle East, where competing military enforcement actions have sharply raised risks for civilian seafarers.