India Summons Iranian Deputy Ambassador Over Hormuz Tanker Strike That Killed Indian Sailor
India Summons Iranian Deputy Ambassador Over Hormuz Tanker Strike That Killed Indian Sailor Written By, Last Updated: July 14, 2026, 11:29 IST The diplomatic démarche
India Summons Iranian Deputy Ambassador Over Hormuz Tanker Strike That Killed Indian Sailor Written By, Last Updated: July 14, 2026, 11:29 IST The diplomatic démarche comes a day after the UAE said Iranian cruise missiles struck the tankers Mombasa and Al Bahiyah, killing one Indian crew member and injuring eight others Rapid Read Strait of Hormuz New Delhi has summoned Iran’s Deputy Ambassador to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) following the Iranian missile strike on two UAE tankers in the Strait of Hormuz that killed an Indian crew member and injured several others, government sources said on Monday. The Iranian Ambassador is currently not in New Delhi, prompting the MEA to call in the Deputy Ambassador instead, sources added. The diplomatic démarche comes a day after the UAE said Iranian cruise missiles struck the tankers Mombasa and Al Bahiyah in the southern shipping lane of the Strait of Hormuz, within Omani territorial waters. The attack killed one Indian crew member and injured eight others, including six Indians and two Ukrainians. Four of the injured remain in critical condition.
ALSO READ | Another Indian Sailor Dies In Hormuz: Will Iran’s Tanker Strike Put India’s Balancing Act To Test? The MEA is expected to convey India’s deep concern over the safety of Indian nationals working on commercial vessels in one of the world’s busiest maritime trade routes, as well as seek assurances regarding the security of shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. The latest diplomatic move comes amid escalating tensions in the strategic waterway, through which a significant share of India’s crude oil and LNG imports transit. The attack has also heightened concerns over the safety of commercial shipping and the potential impact on global energy supplies. Indians At Risk The latest tanker strike is part of a broader security crisis that has engulfed the Strait of Hormuz over the past few months. Since March 2026, the strategic waterway has witnessed repeated attacks as tensions between the US and Iran escalated. Earlier in June, US forces struck three commercial tankers—Marivex, Settebello and Jalveer—near Oman and the entrance to the Strait of Hormuz. All three ships had predominantly Indian crews on board.
The attack on MT Settebello proved particularly deadly, with three Indian sailors killed after US aircraft targeted the vessel’s engine room over alleged non-compliance with American instructions. Twenty-one of the ship’s 24 crew members were later rescued by the Omani Navy. According to Indian maritime unions tracking the conflict, at least seven Indian seafarers had already lost their lives in Hormuz-related attacks by either US forces or Iran’s Revolutionary Guard before the latest incident. More than two dozen others have suffered injuries or trauma in missile and drone strikes targeting commercial shipping. Similar Treatment As US The MEA’s decision to summon the Iranian Deputy Ambassador follows a similar diplomatic course adopted after US strikes on commercial vessels last month. Following the attacks on Settebello and other ships in early June, India summoned US Chargé d’Affaires Jason Meeks twice within a week. The MEA described the use of “lethal and deadly force" against civilian shipping as “unacceptable" and cautioned that such actions endangered maritime safety and disrupted global commerce. Prime Minister Narendra Modi later raised the issue at the G7 Summit, where, in the presence of US President Donald Trump, he stressed the need to ensure the safety of seafarers, uphold freedom of navigation and prevent the militarisation of critical sea lanes such as the Strait of Hormuz.
The BriefWire