MT Jalveer crew evacuation underway with Omani Navy support, all 20 Indians safe
Synopsis
With 20 Indian crew members aboard the attacked vessel MT Jalveer off Oman's coast, the Indian Embassy in Muscat has mobilised the Royal Navy of Oman for evacuation — even as New Delhi summons a US diplomat over a separate attack that killed three Indians the previous day. The back-to-back incidents expose the mounting human cost of the West Asian conflict on India's seafaring community.
Key Takeaways
MT Jalveer , a Guinea-Bissau -flagged vessel, came under attack off Shinas Port , Oman , on 11 June .
All 20 Indian seafarers on board are reportedly safe; evacuation to Shinas Port is being coordinated with the Royal Navy of Oman .
Additional Secretary Mukesh Mangal confirmed the attack and crew safety at a press briefing in New Delhi .
MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal linked the attacks to the ongoing regional conflict and called for dialogue and diplomacy.
The incident follows a separate attack off Oman the previous day in which three Indian nationals lost their lives , prompting India to summon the US Chargé d'Affaires .
The Indian Embassy in Muscat on Thursday, 11 June confirmed that evacuation of the crew of MT Jalveer to Shinas Port is being coordinated with the assistance of the Royal Navy of Oman, following an attack on the Guinea-Bissau-flagged vessel off the Omani coast. All 20 Indian seafarers on board are reportedly safe.
What Happened to MT Jalveer
MT Jalveer, a Guinea-Bissau-flagged commercial vessel, came under attack off Shinas Port in Oman. Additional Secretary, Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Mukesh Mangal confirmed the attack at a press briefing in New Delhi on Thursday, stating that all 20 Indian crew members on board are safe. The Indian mission in Oman has been closely monitoring the situation and coordinating with Omani authorities for a swift evacuation.
What the Indian Embassy Said
The Indian mission in Muscat posted on X that evacuation of the crew from MT Jalveer to Shinas Port is being coordinated with assistance from the Royal Navy of Oman and 'shall soon be complete.' This marks a direct diplomatic intervention to secure the safety of Indian nationals aboard a vessel operating in increasingly volatile West Asian waters.
India's Broader Concern Over Shipping Attacks
Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stressed that New Delhi places the highest priority on the safety of Indian seafarers, while voicing alarm over repeated attacks on commercial shipping in West Asia. He noted that the incidents are a direct consequence of the ongoing regional conflict and called for dialogue and diplomacy to restore peace and stability at the earliest.
'The continuing attacks on shipping in the region are deeply worrisome and are a direct consequence of the ongoing conflict there. These attacks must cease, and we also call for dialogue and diplomacy to ensure an early return to peace and stability in the region,' Jaiswal said.
Notably, this comes a day after India condemned a separate attack on a ship off the coast of Oman in which three Indian nationals lost their lives — prompting New Delhi to summon the US Chargé d'Affaires to register a strong protest.
Pattern of Attacks on Indian Seafarers
The MT Jalveer incident is part of a series of attacks on commercial vessels in West Asia over recent days, several of which have involved Indian crew members. Mangal reiterated India's concern over 'repeated disruptions to commercial shipping,' emphasising the importance of secure and uninterrupted navigation through international waters in line with international law. India has a large seafaring community, and incidents in this corridor carry significant humanitarian and economic stakes.
What Happens Next
The evacuation to Shinas Port is expected to be completed shortly, according to the Indian Embassy. Diplomatic engagement with Oman and broader calls for de-escalation in the region are ongoing. The MEA is expected to continue monitoring the situation closely as the security environment in West Asian shipping lanes remains volatile.
Point of View
One narrowly averted — reveal a pattern that New Delhi can no longer treat as isolated incidents. India's diplomatic response has been measured: summoning a US diplomat, issuing statements, coordinating evacuations. But the structural question is harder: with hundreds of Indian-crewed vessels transiting West Asian waters daily, reactive diplomacy may not be sufficient. The MEA's call for 'dialogue and diplomacy' is correct in principle, but India has limited leverage over the conflict driving these attacks. What is missing from the public response is a concrete framework for protecting Indian seafarers in high-risk corridors — beyond case-by-case crisis management.
NationPress
30 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What happened to MT Jalveer off Oman?
MT Jalveer, a Guinea-Bissau-flagged commercial vessel, came under attack off Shinas Port in Oman on 11 June. All 20 Indian crew members on board are reportedly safe, and evacuation to Shinas Port is being coordinated with the Royal Navy of Oman.
Are the Indian crew members on MT Jalveer safe?
Yes, all 20 Indian seafarers aboard MT Jalveer are reportedly safe following the attack. The Indian Embassy in Muscat confirmed that their evacuation to Shinas Port is underway with Omani naval assistance.
What is India's response to the attack on MT Jalveer?
The Indian Embassy in Muscat is coordinating with the Royal Navy of Oman for the crew's evacuation. At a press briefing, Additional Secretary Mukesh Mangal confirmed the crew's safety, while MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal called for an end to shipping attacks and urged dialogue to restore regional stability.
How does this incident relate to earlier attacks on Indian seafarers?
The MT Jalveer attack follows a separate incident off Oman the previous day in which three Indian nationals lost their lives. India summoned the US Chargé d'Affaires to protest that earlier attack. Officials have flagged a pattern of repeated disruptions to commercial shipping in West Asia.
Why is India concerned about shipping attacks in West Asia?
India has a large seafaring community with many crew members aboard vessels transiting West Asian waters. Repeated attacks on commercial shipping threaten both the safety of Indian nationals and the principle of free navigation under international law, which New Delhi has consistently upheld.
