India and the United States remained locked in a sharp diplomatic standoff Friday after US Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar that commercial vessels must follow American orders in the Strait of Hormuz, days after three Indian mariners were killed in US military strikes near Oman.
“All commercial vessels should immediately comply with US orders in the Strait of Hormuz,” Rubio told Jaishankar during a phone call Friday, according to the source account. “Violations of US blockade and illicit transport of Iranian oil will not be tolerated,” he said.
The warning came as Jaishankar, currently visiting Europe, raised India’s strong objection to the killing of three Indian crew members aboard merchant vessels in the Gulf of Oman. The attacks have intensified pressure on New Delhi ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s expected meeting with President Donald Trump at the June 15-17 G7 summit in Evian-les-Bains, France.
Three Indian-crewed vessels came under US attack near Oman in the Strait of Hormuz this week amid rising tensions around the strategically vital oil passage. Three Indian crew members were killed, prompting India to lodge a “strong protest” with Washington.
On Friday, India summoned the most senior American diplomat in New Delhi for the second time this week over US military action against merchant vessels in West Asia. The latest diplomatic move followed an earlier meeting with US charge d’affaires Jason Meeks, where India said the use of lethal force against civilian shipping was unacceptable.
Jaishankar also escalated the issue directly with Rubio during their phone call. In a post on X, he said he reiterated India’s strong protest over the US Navy attacks in the Gulf that killed three Indian mariners. “Such lethal actions against commercial shipping are not justified,” Jaishankar said.
The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most sensitive maritime corridors, and the latest incidents have placed Indian seafarers in the middle of the expanding US-Iran conflict. The US position signalled no immediate relief for Indian mariners operating in the region, despite India’s repeated objections.
The dispute has added a difficult layer to the upcoming Modi-Trump meeting at the G7 summit. Modi is expected to raise Indian concerns over attacks on vessels carrying Indian crew members, as New Delhi seeks assurances over the safety of its mariners and the treatment of commercial shipping in the Gulf.
For now, India’s position remains focused on civilian safety and accountability, while Washington continues to insist that vessels operating near Hormuz comply with US blockade orders.
