India summons US Charge d'affaires again over attack on merchant ships with Indian crew

New Delhi: India, for the second time in a week, summoned the US charge d'affaires Jason Meeks to lodge a strong protest after ongoing strikes by the US military on commercial vessels off the coast of Oman, even as President Donald Trump accused Iran of trying to hit Indian ships.

The US diplomat was called a day after the external affairs ministry confirmed that three Indians have been killed in the US strikes and made a strong case for ending action that has put the lives of innocent people in danger.

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Hours after the diplomat was called in, Trump seemed to accuse Iran too of attempted attacks. "Their (Iran's) totally rebuffed Drone attack last night against Indian Ships leaving the Hormuz Strait is totally unacceptable," he posted.

Sources said the US official was summoned and conveyed strong protest by India over the continued US military action. On Wednesday night too, the diplomat was summoned after a strike on a merchant vessel that had 24 Indian crew members. However, within 24 hours of that meeting, another merchant vessel with Indians on board came under US military attack.

Palau-flagged oil tanker Marivex with 24 Indian seafarers was disabled by US forces on June 8, with no injuries reported. On June 10, Palau-flagged tanker, Settebello, was struck, killing three of the 24 Indian sailors. On Thursday, MT Jalveer, a Guinea-Bissau-flagged tanker with 20 Indians, was attacked.