The Government of India has firmly denied reports suggesting that a fourth vessel had come under attack near Oman late on Friday night. On Saturday, the Ministry of External Affairs clarified that the Marshall Islands‑flagged tanker MT Liaki Freedom was not attacked, and all crew members on board were confirmed safe.

The denial came after speculation that the vessel had been targeted in the Gulf region, where three other ships carrying Indian crew had already been attacked earlier in the week.


Randhir Jaiswal, spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs, stated that the Ministry had contacted the vessel directly and confirmed the safety of its crew. He emphasised that reports of an attack were inaccurate.

The Forward Seamen’s Union of India (FSUI) had earlier flagged concerns when the vessel failed to respond to communications on very high frequency channels, but later confirmed that the ship had re‑established contact and was not attacked. The FSUI also issued a public statement on social media, clarifying that communication had been restored and no incident had occurred.

MT Liaki Freedom, built in 2007, is currently owned and managed by firms based in the United Arab Emirates. The vessel has a cargo capacity of approximately 13,000 tonnes and has changed ownership and names once in its history. It is not listed on any of the major international sanctions registers.

The clarification about its safety comes amid heightened tensions in the Gulf, where multiple vessels with Indian crew have been attacked in recent days.

Earlier this week, three vessels carrying Indian seafarers were targeted off the coast of Oman. One of these attacks, on Wednesday, resulted in the deaths of three Indian sailors when the MT Settebello came under fire.

The incident prompted strong diplomatic protests from India, with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar speaking directly to United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio to lodge India’s objections to the US Navy’s actions in the Gulf. Jaishankar described the attacks on commercial shipping as unjustified and reiterated India’s opposition to such military actions against merchant vessels.

The reports of an attack on MT Liaki Freedom and the subsequent denial by the Ministry of External Affairs came just hours before Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s scheduled departure to Paris for the G‑7 summit.

The timing is significant, as Modi is expected to meet US President Donald Trump during the summit, where maritime security and the safety of Indian nationals in the Gulf region are likely to feature prominently in discussions.

India has consistently highlighted the importance of protecting its large expatriate community in West Asia and safeguarding vital trade and energy supply chains that pass through the region.

The denial of the reported attack on MT Liaki Freedom provides some reassurance amid a tense and volatile situation, but the earlier incidents underline the risks faced by Indian seafarers and the urgent need for diplomatic engagement to prevent further escalation.

India continues to call for restraint, dialogue, and respect for freedom of navigation in international waters, stressing that civilian lives and commercial shipping must not be endangered by military operations.

Agencies