India has strongly condemned the recent attack on the Thai bulk carrier Mayuree Naree while it was transiting the Strait of Hormuz en route to Kandla in Gujarat.

The Ministry of External Affairs issued a statement deploring the targeting of commercial shipping, stressing that such actions endanger innocent civilian crew members and undermine freedom of navigation and commerce.

Photographs released by the Royal Thai Navy showed thick black smoke billowing from the vessel, with life rafts floating nearby, underscoring the severity of the incident. The attack occurred on 11 March, and India has expressed concern that the intensity and lethality of such assaults in the region are escalating.

The Ministry confirmed that two Indian nationals have lost their lives and one remains missing in connection with recent attacks on merchant vessels in conflict-affected waters. Several others have sustained injuries in the Gulf region, including one individual in Israel and another reportedly in Dubai. Condolences were extended to the families of the deceased, with officials emphasising the tragic human cost of these hostilities.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed responsibility for striking the Mayuree Naree and another Liberian-flagged container ship, asserting that the vessels had ignored warnings before entering the Strait of Hormuz. IRGC naval commander Alireza Tangsiri declared that all ships intending to pass must first obtain permission from Iran.

Iranian state television further broadcast warnings that any vessel linked to the United States, Israel, or their allies would be considered a legitimate target. The Iranian military also vowed to prevent the transit of oil through the strait, a critical maritime chokepoint through which nearly one-fifth of global oil shipments pass. Analysts warn that a prolonged closure could severely disrupt global trade, particularly in Asia and Europe, given the strait’s role in transporting oil and fertiliser essential for food production.

In response, the Pentagon announced that US forces had destroyed 16 mine-laying vessels intended to block the strait. Despite these efforts, Iranian drone and missile attacks continued, with at least three ships reported hit on Wednesday.

India reiterated its position that commercial shipping must not be targeted and that freedom of navigation should be safeguarded. The government’s statement reflects growing alarm over the potential economic and humanitarian consequences of escalating maritime hostilities in West Asia.

Agencies