Indian ship attacked off Oman coast, crew rescued
text_fields
India’s Ministry of External Affairs on Thursday confirmed that an Indian-flagged vessel was attacked off the coast of Oman on May 12, while thanking Omani authorities for safely rescuing the crew members.
MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal described the incident as “unacceptable” in an official statement.
“We deplore the fact that commercial shipping and civilian mariners continue to be targeted,” the statement said.
The ministry reiterated that “targeting commercial shipping and endangering innocent civilian crew members, or otherwise impeding freedom of navigation and commerce, should be avoided”.
The attack comes amid heightened tensions in West Asia, as negotiations between the United States and Iran over ending the ongoing conflict remain uncertain.
Against this backdrop, foreign ministers from the BRICS nations began a two-day meeting in New Delhi on Thursday to discuss growing global economic uncertainty caused by the war.
Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi used the meeting to highlight Tehran’s position on the conflict and regional security.
According to Araghchi, the Strait of Hormuz remains open to commercial shipping as long as vessels coordinate with Iran’s naval forces.
“As you have all witnessed, my country has within the span of less than a year twice been subjected to brutal and unlawful aggression by the United States and Israel,” he said.
“The attacks on my people have been justified with false claims that run counter to the informed assessments of the International Atomic Energy Agency, and even America’s own intelligence community.”
He further alleged that Iran had become “the victim of illegal expansionism and warmongering”.
“Those who pursue reckless adventures may believe it furthers their geopolitical interests. But as consumers and governments around the world now sense and understand, regional instability is a lose-lose proposition for all sides – including the aggressors,” Araghchi added.
The BRICS grouping includes founding members Brazil, Russia, India and China, along with newer member nations. The meeting comes as the conflict involving Iran continues to disrupt global energy supplies and push up oil prices.
The diplomatic gathering also coincides with a meeting between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov is attending the BRICS meeting, while China is being represented by Ambassador Xu Feihong as Foreign Minister Wang Yi remains in Beijing during Trump’s visit.
Originally formed as a grouping of major emerging economies, BRICS has increasingly positioned itself as a counterbalance to Western-led global institutions and has sought a greater role in shaping the international order.
Meanwhile, two India-bound liquefied petroleum gas carriers reportedly passed through the Strait of Hormuz amid reports of the attack on the Indian vessel off Oman’s coast.
The vessels, identified as Symi and NV Sunshine, are part of a recent rise in energy shipments through the strategically vital waterway despite ongoing restrictions linked to the US-Iran tensions.
The NV Sunshine had loaded LPG at the Ruwais refinery in the UAE and was last reported east of Iran’s Larak Island early on Thursday while heading to Mangalore, Karnataka.
The Symi, carrying fuel from Qatar’s Ras Laffan, is reportedly en route to Kandla in Gujarat.