New Delhi summoned Iran’s deputy ambassador Mohammad Javad Hosseini and lodged a strong protest after an Indian national was killed in an Iranian attack on ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz, officials said.
According to the report, two UAE-flagged commercial vessels — MT Al Bahiya and MT Mombasa — were sailing through the strait with 46 crew members, including 30 Indians. An Iranian airstrike hit MT Al Bahiya, killing one Indian and injuring another. On MT Mombasa, nine Indian crew members were injured, with two reported to be in critical condition.
In a statement, India’s Ministry of External Affairs said the renewed escalation in West Asia was a matter of concern and urged the United States and Iran to abandon violence and pursue dialogue and diplomatic solutions. It also called for an end to attacks on commercial ships and infrastructure, and stressed that maritime trade and transit through the Strait of Hormuz must remain unhindered in line with international law.
India said such actions threaten free and safe navigation on one of the world’s most important sea lanes. The Indian mission in the UAE is monitoring the situation and providing all necessary assistance to affected Indian crew members, the ministry added.
Iran’s military, in its own statement, claimed the two UAE commercial ships ignored repeated warnings from a Hormuz security control centre, switched off navigation and tracking systems, and entered a dangerous area, alleging they posed a threat to shipping. The report also noted that since the conflict began, 15 Indians have died after being caught up in hostilities in and around the Strait of Hormuz.
