Page 2 - Oman

Vessel with 14 Indian crew members involved in incident off Oman coast

Amid heightened tensions in the Gulf region, the Embassy of India in Muscat on Sunday said it has learnt of an incident involving a vessel with 14 Indian crew members off the coast of Oman. The Indian mission did not share any details about the nature of the incident. Search and Rescue is being coordinated with the Omani authorities and vessels in vicinity of the incident, it said in a post on X. "The Mission has learnt of an incident involving an Indian Flagged Mechanised Sailing Vessel Virat 1, off the coast of Oman, reportedly embarked with 14 Indian crew," the mission said. The Oman coast witnessed tensions last week as three vessels with Indian crew members came under US attack in the region. One of them killed three seafarers.

'Crew of MT Liaki Freedom safe': MEA dismisses reports of fresh strike

Clarification by the Ministry of External Affairs comes shortly after it was falsely reported that several media outlets that Indians had been killed in an overnight attack on the vessel Liaki Freedom

MEA summons US envoy again over attacks on ships carrying Indians

India lodged a strong protest with the US over attacks on commercial vessels carrying Indian seafarers, while the UN and Iran condemned the incidents

India lodges strong protest after US strikes kill 3 sailors off Oman coast

India on Thursday said three merchant ships with Indian crew members came under attack from American military off the coast of Oman in the last four days, resulting in the death of three nationals, and it has lodged a strong protest with the US over the strikes. It was New Delhi's first public acknowledgement that the US Navy targeted the three ships with Indian crew members. New Delhi asserted that these attacks must stop. A Palau-flagged oil tanker, Marivex, carrying 24 Indian seafarers, was disabled by US forces on June 8. All crew members were safely rescued. On June 10, the US struck another Palau-flagged tanker, Settebello, killing three out of the 24 Indian sailors on board. Another vessel, Jalveer, a Guinea-Bissau-flagged tanker with 20 Indians, was attacked on Thursday. External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said at a news briefing that the three separate strikes on Settebello, Marivex and Jalveer "came from the US Navy". In a social media post, the US Cen

Indian-crewed tanker hit off Oman in suspected third US strike this week

Three Indian sailors died in a US strike on the Settebello tanker off Oman a day earlier

India reports another vessel incident involving MT Jalveer off Oman coast

Indian embassy in Oman did not specify if the vessel involved in Thursday's incident had Indian seafarers on board

India summons US charge d'affaires over attack on tanker off Oman coast

India on Wednesday summoned US charge d'affaires Jason Meeks and lodged a strong protest over a US attack on a commercial tanker with 24 Indian crew members off the coast of Oman, sources said. Three of the 24 crew members on board the vessel went missing following the attack. In its reaction, New Delhi said the targeting of commercial shipping and civilian infrastructure in West Asia must end, and free and unimpeded navigation through the international waterways should be restored at the earliest. The attack on commercial vessel Settebello came two days after a Palao-flagged vessel with 24 Indians came under attack of the US Navy as the ship tried to evade the US blockade of Iranian ports. "We condemn the attack on the commercial vessel Settebello off the coast of Oman, earlier today. Of the 24 Indian crew onboard, 21 Indians have been rescued thus far and three Indians are reportedly missing," the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said. It said the Indian embassy in Oman is clo

Modi, Kuwaiti Amir discuss West Asia tensions; India thanks Oman for rescue

Prime Minister Narendra Modi reiterated the call for de-escalation in West Asia, while India thanked Oman for rescuing 24 Indian crew members from a disabled tanker

Oil tanker with 24 Indian seafarers catches fire off Oman coast; all safe

A fire was reported aboard an oil tanker carrying 24 Indian seafarers off the coast of Oman on Monday, as Israel and Iran exchanged fresh attacks in their first major escalation since the ceasefire. The Madagascar-flagged MT Marivex reported a fire around 1.30 pm IST, Opesh Kumar Sharma, a director in India's Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, said at a news briefing. Sharma declined to comment on the cause of the fire but said the vessel was carrying 24 Indian crew members. The tanker was empty and located well outside the Strait of Hormuz, a key shipping route that has been affected by regional tensions, he said. "This is the preliminary information which we have received... as per available information, all Indian seafarers are safe," Sharma said. "We are coordinating with the Ministry of External Affairs, our missions abroad, Indian Navy, Ministry of Defence, to ensure their safety." Ship-tracking data showed the vessel at anchor south of Muscat. The tanker issued a

Oman suspends oil loading at Mina al Fahal terminal after drone attack

The explosion occurred between single-buoy mooring (SBM) 1 and 2 berths due to an alleged drone attack

Duty concessions for Omani imports under India FTA kick in from June 1

Duty concessions on Omani imports under the India-Oman CEPA come into force from June 1, covering nearly 95% of India's imports from Oman

'No nation will control Hormuz': Trump as he threatens to blow up Oman

Iran's Tasnim news agency cited a military source as saying that the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Navy fired toward a US oil tanker that was trying to transit the strait, forcing it to turn back

Iran, Oman in talks over Strait of Hormuz ship payment system amid tensions

The discussions suggest that the United States and the Iranian government may not be close to reaching a deal to end a war that has badly damaged the global economy

Russia expands LNG dark fleet with four tankers to ramp up Arctic exports

The developments mean that there are now at least 20 tankers being used to ferry LNG from sanctioned Russian projects

UAE condemns 'terrorist' attack on Indian-flagged vessel off Oman coast

The UAE has condemned a strike on an Indian-flagged vessel off the coast of Oman, calling it a "terrorist attack" and a "dangerous escalation" that threatens the stability of critical waterways. The commercial vessel, which was sailing from Somalia, came under attack on Wednesday, according to India's Ministry of External Affairs. All 14 crew members were rescued by Omani authorities, but it was not immediately known who carried out the strike, it said. "The UAE strongly condemns terrorist attack on Indian-flagged ship off the coast of Oman," the UAE's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) said in a statement issued on Thursday. "This attack constitutes a grave threat to the security of international navigation and represents a dangerous escalation aimed at undermining the stability of critical waterways." The incident took place amid the fragile situation in the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow waterway close to the coast of Oman through which roughly one-fifth of the world's energy suppli

Indian-flagged merchant ship attacked off Oman coast, all crew members safe

An Indian-flagged commercial vessel has come under attack off the coast of Oman but all its crew members are safe, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Thursday. It is not immediately known who carried out the strike on the vessel on Wednesday. The MEA described the attack as "unacceptable". "The attack on an Indian-flagged ship off the coast of Oman yesterday is unacceptable and we deplore the fact that commercial shipping and civilian mariners continue to be targeted," it said. "All Indian crew on board are safe and we thank the Omani authorities for rescuing them," it said. The MEA said India reiterates that targeting commercial shipping and endangering innocent civilian crew members, or otherwise impeding freedom of navigation and commerce, should be avoided.

India, Oman likely to discuss early FTA implementation on May 11

Early implementation of the free trade agreement (FTA), signed in December 2025 is likely to figure in the meeting of India and Oman on May 11 here, an official said. The agreement will provide duty-free access to 98 per cent of India's exports, including textiles, agri, and leather goods in Oman. On the other hand, India will reduce tariffs on Omanese products such as dates, marbles and petrochemical items. "Oman team is visiting here on May 11. India will try to push for early implementation of the FTA," the official said. Oman is an important strategic partner of Indian in the Middle East region and is a key gateway for Indian goods and services to the wider Middle East and Africa. Nearly 7 lakh Indian nationals reside in Oman. India receives about USD 2 billion remittances from Oman annually. This is the second trade deal of India with a GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) member. India in May 2022 implemented a similar pact with the UAE and it is expected to soon start talks with

Commerce Minister Goyal holds talks with his Omani counterpart on trade

Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Monday held talks with his Omanese counterpart Anwar bin Hilal bin Hamdoun Al Jabri on ways to promote bilateral trade and investment. In the last few days, Goyal has held discussions with the trade ministers of Saudi Arabia, UAE, Bahrain and Kuwait. "Held a telecall with HE Anwar bin Hilal bin Hamdoun Al Jabri, Oman's Minister of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion. Discussed unlocking opportunities under the India-Oman CEPA to boost bilateral trade and investment ties for the mutual growth of both nations," Goyal said in a social media post. The Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) was signed in Muscat in December 2025. It has not yet been implemented. The pact will provide duty free access to 98 per cent of India's exports including textiles, agri and leather goods in Oman. On the other hand, India will reduce tariffs on Omanese products such as dates, marbles and petrochemical items. India-Oman bilateral tr

No toll for transit through Hormuz: Oman contradicts Iran's truce demand

An Omani minister said the country remains bound by existing agreements that prohibit levying charges on ships transiting the key waterway

Family moves HC for return of mortal remains of seafarer killed in Iran war

The family of seafarer Dixit Solanki who died last month in a suspected attack on a merchant vessel off the coast of Oman has moved the Bombay High Court, seeking the return of his mortal remains. The petition, filed by Solanki's father Amratlal Solanki and sister Mitali Solanki through advocates S B Talekar and Madhvi Ayyappan, has sought directions to the Union government to expedite the repatriation of his remains, claiming lack of clarity from the authorities. The plea will be heard on April 6 by a bench headed by Chief Justice Shree Chandrashekhar. Dixit Solanki (25) was killed on March 4 when an explosive-laden drone boat struck an oil tanker -- MT MKD Vyom -- off the coast of Oman amid the West Asia conflict, becoming its first Indian casualty. In their plea, the Solankis have also sought that all investigation and forensic records be shared with them. The plea has been filed against the Ministry of External Affairs, the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, the ...