US Statement On Indian Mariners’ Deaths Sparks Outrage; Shashi Tharoor Calls Response ‘Insensitive’
New Delhi: Political leaders and former diplomats have strongly criticised the United States after its official response to the deaths of three Indian mariners in the Gulf of Oman did not include any expression of regret or condolences. According to a report by Financial Express, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar also spoke to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio to register India’s protest over the incident.
Shashi Tharoor Questions US Response
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor reacted sharply to the US statement and described it as “deeply insensitive”. He said it was shocking that there was no mention of sympathy or regret over the deaths of innocent Indian citizens.
Deeply shocking to read this official US statement, which contains absolutely no expression of regret or condolence for the loss of innocent Indian lives. How can a “friend” and strategic partner be so deeply insensitive?
— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) June 13, 2026
Why couldn’t a non-compliant commercial vessel have been… pic.twitter.com/heUIOGuulG
In a post on X, Tharoor questioned how a country considered a strategic partner and friend of India could respond in such a manner. He also raised concerns about whether the commercial vessels could have been intercepted through non-lethal measures instead of military action.
The Congress leader further questioned whether Indian crew members working on commercial ships in the region were now being treated as easy targets. He termed the US response “unacceptable” and expressed hope that Jaishankar conveyed India’s concerns firmly during his discussion with Rubio.
Former Diplomats And Opposition Leaders React
Former Foreign Secretary Kanwal Sibal also criticised the US statement, saying it lacked even a formal expression of regret for the deaths of civilians from a friendly country. He described the American response as harsh and insensitive.
Congress leaders Pawan Khera and Manish Tewari also joined the criticism. Khera stated that India should have demanded an unconditional apology from the United States for the deaths of the sailors. He questioned the lack of empathy shown in the official statement.
No regret , No remorse, no empathy, no sympathy. Abrupt, abrasive confrontational . @SecRubio could not have been more belligerent
— Manish Tewari (@ManishTewari) June 14, 2026
The sub text in between the lines is – Indian sailors were responsible for what happened to them.
Hardly the language you use with a country you… pic.twitter.com/yO4GeBQv3u
Meanwhile, Manish Tewari said the remarks reflected “no regret, no remorse, no empathy” and added that such language was inappropriate for communication between two friendly nations.
What Did The US Say?
Following the conversation between Rubio and Jaishankar, US State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott released a statement saying the leaders discussed developments in the Strait of Hormuz.
The statement noted that all commercial ships operating in the region should comply with directions issued by US forces. It also warned that violations of the US blockade and alleged illegal transportation of oil would not be tolerated.
However, the statement did not refer to the deaths of the Indian mariners, which became the main point of criticism from Indian leaders and diplomats.
India Registers Strong Protest
Earlier, Jaishankar confirmed on X that he had spoken to Rubio and reiterated India’s “strong protest” against the attacks carried out by the US Navy in the Gulf region.
He said the attacks resulted in the deaths of three Indian mariners and stressed that the use of lethal force against commercial shipping vessels was unjustified.
India has also summoned US Charge d’Affaires Jason Meeks to formally protest the attacks on commercial vessels carrying Indian crew members in the Gulf of Oman.
How The Incident Unfolded
The controversy follows a series of attacks on commercial ships in the Gulf of Oman this week.
As per official details cited by Financial Express, the Palau-flagged tanker Marivex, which had 24 Indian crew members onboard, was disabled by US forces on June 8. All crew members were later rescued safely.
On June 10, another Palau-flagged tanker, Settebello, came under attack, resulting in the deaths of three Indian sailors among the 24 crew members onboard.
A third vessel, Jalveer, a Guinea-Bissau-flagged tanker carrying 20 Indian nationals, was also reportedly targeted.
The US Central Command claimed the ships were attempting to breach the American blockade of Iranian ports. India, however, maintained that the use of deadly force against civilian commercial vessels was unacceptable and lodged a strong diplomatic protest with the United States.
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