New Delhi: India on Thursday said that it has lodged a "strong protest" with the American side, conveying deepest concerns on the ongoing attacks on ships with Indian seafarers in West Asia in the last few days. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) called for an end to such attacks and stated that India attaches great importance to the welfare and well-being of Indian seafarers' community.
Addressing an inter-ministerial briefing on recent developments in West Asia in New Delhi on Thursday, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said that India lodged a strong protest with the American side after the attack on the commercial vessel Settebello.
"There have been several incidents involving Indian seafarers in West Asia in the last few days. We attach high importance to the welfare and well-being of our seafarers' community. We need not re-emphasise this point. Yesterday, we condemned the attack on a ship off the coast of Oman in which, unfortunately, we lost three Indian nationals. We had summoned the US CDA here to register a strong protest. The continuing incidents of attacks on shipping in the region are deeply worrisome and a direct result of the ongoing conflict in the region. These attacks must cease and end. We also call for dialogue and diplomacy so that we can have an early return to peace and stability in the region," said Jaiswal.
He mentioned that the the US Charge d'Affaires in New Delhi was summoned on Wednesday as India called for unimpeded access through the Strait of Hormuz in keeping with international law.
"We attach high importance to the welfare and well-being of our seafaring community. As you know that we have a large seafaring community which is spread across the world. We also have large number of seafarers who are there in Persian Gulf and in West Asia and we are in touch with them through our Embassy and through the Ministry of Shipping to ensure their welfare and well-being," said Jaiswal. (IANS)
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