India's action to directly protest to the US against the US military's missile attack on a cargo ship in the Gulf of Oman is also correct.
India's direct protest to the US against the US military's missile attack on a cargo ship in the Gulf of Oman is both right and courageous. The ship had 24 Indian crew members, 21 of whom were rescued by the Omani Coast Guard and the Indian Coast Guard in a joint rescue operation, but three were missing as of Thursday morning. Two of them are reported dead. The ship, named Setebello, is registered in the Pacific nation of Palau.
This is the second time since the start of the war in West Asia that a merchant ship with an Indian crew has been attacked by the US military. An attack on a ship in the Strait of Hormuz is ignored because that waterway is an important part of the war theater. The Gulf of Oman is not part of that theater. That is why it is outside the US naval blockade. This gulf, connected to the Arabian Sea, is considered safe for international shipping.
India has termed the US attack as 'unlawful' on this basis and has considered it appropriate to protest against it and seek compensation. For this purpose, US Deputy Ambassador (Charge d'Affaires) Jason Meeks was summoned to the Foreign Office and a letter of protest was handed over. According to diplomatic protocol, such an action is considered equivalent to a reprimand. It is also said that if US Ambassador Sergio Gour had not been on a visit to Kazakhstan, he would have been summoned to the Foreign Office. This would have been a greater embarrassment for America. This is the first time that India has given such a diplomatic reprimand to the US since Donald Trump took office as US President in January last year.
However, this is the third time in the last five years that a senior US embassy official has been summoned to the Indian Foreign Office. Earlier in March 2024, the Indian government had expressed strong protest over US comments on the arrest of Arvind Kejriwal and before that, the Indian Foreign Office had pulled up US diplomatic officials after the attack by Khalistanis on the Indian Consulate in San Francisco in March 2023.
At least eight Indian citizens have lost their lives during the West Asian war. These deaths occurred during Iranian drone or missile attacks or operations by American warships on the American allies - UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. 1.20 crore Indians are settled in these countries due to their respective work or jobs. 30 percent of the population of a country like Qatar is of Indian people. UAE. is also considered a stronghold of Indian workers and businessmen.
Therefore, in the event of a military attack on any country, the death or injury of an Indian is a natural phenomenon. Similarly, the participation of Indian personnel in the maritime business is also quite high. However, this business is mainly dependent on South Asian or Southeast Asian workers, but due to the higher standard of training related to the Merchant Navy in India, shipping companies prefer to deploy Indians in responsible positions on every ship. That is why it is not considered unnatural for some Indian to be among the victims of every shipping-related accident. The important role of Indian citizens in shipping or other important businesses is a matter of pride for our country. But the dangers associated with this pride sometimes become a matter of serious concern. The attack in the Gulf of Oman falls into this category.
It is nothing new to see our own people being killed during war, yet the incident in the Gulf of Oman is more of an example of arrogance than of any mistake. The Narendra Modi government, the Trump administration officials, or Trump himself have been silently enduring the arrogant (and sometimes insulting) rhetoric made by them for over a year. The stand he has taken now is courageous. Such courage and determination need to be shown in trade talks and other bilateral matters as well. America should get its answer in its own language, not in soft language.
