Death of Three Indian Seafarers: Why Is US Behaving Like India's Enemy?

The deaths of three Indian seafarers in a U.S. military strike off the coast of Oman this week have cast an uncomfortable shadow over a relationship that both New Delhi and Washington routinely describe as one of the most important strategic partnerships of the 21st century.

On Thursday, India strongly condemned the attack and summoned the U.S. Embassy's Chargé d'Affaires to lodge a formal protest. The move came after a second commercial vessel carrying Indian crew members was struck in three days as part of the U.S.-led naval blockade targeting maritime traffic linked to Iran.

For New Delhi, the issue goes beyond diplomacy. Three Indian nationals have lost their lives, dozens of Indian sailors have been rescued from the damaged vessels, and thousands more continue to work in waters that are becoming increasingly militarised.

The Ministry of External Affairs called the attacks on commercial shipping "deeply worrisome" and urged all parties to return to dialogue. 

Speaking at a media briefing, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal on Thursday said India had conveyed its strong concerns to Washington after the latest incident.

The most serious attack involved the foreign-flagged tanker MT Settebello, which was struck off the Omani coast. Twenty-one Indian crew members were rescued, but three Indians lost their lives. Earlier in the week, another vessel, MT Marivex, was disabled, though all crew members were safely evacuated.

On Thursday, a third ship, MT Jalveer, carrying 20 Indian seafarers, was hit by U.S. Hellfire missiles after allegedly failing to comply with directions issued under the American naval blockade on Iran. According to Indian authorities, all crew members aboard the vessel are safe.

The incidents have sparked debate in India's strategic and diplomatic circles about the nature of American power and whether Washington's actions are increasingly at odds with Indian interests.

A new world order

According to Brigadier Rumel Dahiya (Retd), the attacks cannot be viewed in isolation.

"History shows that powerful countries often seek to exert pressure on weaker states and exploit asymmetries in leverage," he told Outlook. "The United States, as a global power, has frequently used economic and strategic tools to advance its interests."

According to him, the current tensions should be understood within a changing global order in which Beijing has emerged as Washington's principal challenger while India is steadily expanding its own strategic space.

"Today, Washington sees China as its principal rival, but it is also aware of India's growing potential as an independent pole in the international system," he said. "This is reflected in measures such as tariff pressures and attempts to influence India's energy choices, particularly regarding Russian oil. Over the past year, Washington has increasingly relied on pressure and coercive tactics rather than engaging New Delhi in the spirit of an equal strategic partnership."

In the last 18 months, President Trump's rhetoric towards India has oscillated between praise for PM Modi and sharp criticism of India's trade policies, Russian oil purchases and immigration-linked issues. 

The "hellhole" controversy, tariff threats and growing economic pressure have reinforced concerns among sections of India's strategic community that Washington increasingly views New Delhi through the prism of leverage rather than partnership

Former Ambassador Anil Trigunayat also backed the government's response, describing it as necessary given the circumstances.

"India did the right thing by summoning the U.S. Embassy's Chargé d'Affaires and registering a strong protest," he said. 

"The attack on the Settebello, carrying around 24 Indian crew members, was the second such incident in three days. India must continue to firmly convey its strongest concerns whenever its citizens are endangered."

The former envoy said the episode underlined an old lesson in international politics that nations ultimately have to depend on their own capabilities.

"It also highlights the need to deepen India's maritime presence in the Indian Ocean because when it comes to protecting our interests, we cannot rely on others to come to our aid," he added. 

Beyond diplomatic platitudes

For years, India and the United States have expanded cooperation across defence, technology and the Indo-Pacific. Joint military exercises have become routine, defence agreements have multiplied and both governments regularly speak of shared democratic values.

Yet international relations are rarely driven by sentiment. According to experts, strategic partnerships endure only as long as interests converge.

For India, the immediate challenge is safeguarding its citizens. More than 18,000 Indian seafarers are currently deployed across the Gulf region, according to the government estimates. Hundreds remain aboard vessels operating near the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's most sensitive maritime chokepoints.

At a time when Washington continues to describe India as a key partner in shaping the future balance of power in Asia, diplomatic and security policy makers in New Delhi are likely to ask whether such a partnership can endure if Indian lives become collateral damage in the pursuit of America's strategic objectives in the West Asia.