NEW DELHI: A total of 13 Indians have been killed and three remain missing in the Gulf region since February 28, according to government sources quoted by news agency ANI, as the conflict in West Asia continues to take a heavy toll on commercial shipping and seafarers.The casualties have been reported since US President Donald Trump launched military action against Iran under Operation Epic Fury in partnership with Israel. The conflict has triggered retaliatory strikes by Tehran and escalated into a wider regional crisis.The fighting has also severely disrupted maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s busiest energy shipping routes, after Iran shut the strategic waterway and targeted commercial vessels, raising concerns over global trade and the safety of seafarers.Responding to the developments, India on Tuesday said it is closely monitoring the situation in West Asia and called for safe and uninterrupted navigation through the Strait of Hormuz.During the weekly media briefing, ministry of external affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said India was deeply concerned over the recent attacks on two commercial ships in which one Indian seafarer was killed.“We are closely following the developments in West Asia. We continue to call for safe and unimpeded navigation and the flow of commerce through the Strait of Hormuz. This is key for ensuring the economic and energy security of people across the world,” he said.Sharing details of the latest attacks, Jaiswal said, “I do not have the complete details you are asking for at the moment, but I can say that the two ships that were attacked last night, or this morning, depending on the timing, had a total of 30 Indian seafarers on board.”He added, “On one ship, which had 12 people on board, one Indian seafarer lost his life. On the other ship, which had 18 Indian seafarers on board, nine sustained serious injuries, of whom two are in critical condition. This is the information relating to the attack that took place last night, or this morning.”“Apart from this, there have been several other fatalities involving our (Indian) nationals. I can also say that, among all nationalities, Indian seafarers have suffered the highest number of deaths in attacks on commercial shipping. However, I do not want to provide incorrect figures. Regarding the total number of our ships in the region and the total number of casualties, I will share that information after this press conference concludes,” the MEA spokesperson said.The MEA said attacks on commercial shipping and civilian infrastructure in the region must stop so that free and uninterrupted navigation and trade through international waterways can resume at the earliest, in accordance with international law.The statement came after US President Donald Trump announced that the United States was “reinstating” the Iranian blockade and said Washington would charge “20 per cent” to provide security for ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz, a key global shipping route.In a post on Truth Social, Trump said international maritime traffic through the strategic waterway would remain open to the rest of the world despite rising tensions in the region.
