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Shashi Tharoor on US Response to Indian Mariners' Deaths in Gulf of Oman

Tuesday, June 16, 2026
5 min read
Shashi Tharoor on US Response to Indian Mariners' Deaths in Gulf of Oman

Shashi Tharoor, MP and head of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on External Affairs, really hammered Washington over the silence. No condolences offered after three Indian mariners died in a US military strike on a merchant ship somewhere in the Gulf of Oman. It was a major sticking point right there.

This whole thing kicked off after Secretary Marco Rubio had that phone call with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar. There were growing concerns simmering, you know? Outrage building up in India.

Tharoor didn't hold back. He posted something sharp on X questioning the US response to the crew members’ deaths. He accused the US of total insensitivity towards a strategic partner.

“Deeply shocking to read this official US statement,” he wrote. “Absolutely no expression of regret or condolence for losing innocent Indian lives. How can a ‘friend’ and strategic partner be so deeply insensitive?” That was his tone.

Then came the bigger questions, almost like a protest against the whole operation. Why couldn't they have just stopped the vessel using other means? Isn’t it possible to disable propulsion or steering without firing missiles at civilian crew members? He pushed that idea hard.

He brought up something about the sheer presence of Indian nationals in global shipping. Merchant ships navigating these crucial waters. Practically every one has Indian crews on board. Are they all just collateral damage now? “Practically every merchant ship navigating these crucial waters has Indian crew on board,” he asked. “Are they all considered fair game for US missiles now?”

Manish Tewari, another voice from the Congress side, jumped in too. He also slammed the US for refusing to take accountability. His post was blunt. No regret. No remorse. No empathy. No sympathy. It felt abrupt, abrasive confrontation. Tewari suggested the subtext was clear: Indian sailors were somehow responsible for what happened. Hardly the language you use with a country you call a friend.

The incident itself is grim. Three Indian seafarers died aboard the Liberia-flagged vessel MV Eternity C. The strike happened while tensions were already high, amid those ongoing military actions targeting routes in the Red Sea region. That area has seen repeated attacks on commercial shipping since late 2023 alone. It’s a constant headache for everyone involved.

India, because of how many seafarers it has globally, has repeatedly worried about civilian crews operating where conflict is happening. And naturally, they sought answers. The Ministry of External Affairs reached out to US authorities asking for details about the deaths. They were trying to get clarity on what actually happened.

Written by Gree News Team — Senior Editorial Board

Gree News Team covers international news and global affairs at Gree News. Our collective of senior editors is dedicated to providing independent, accurate, and responsible journalism for a global audience.

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