Congress on Saturday, 13 June demanded that the Indian government should have secured an unconditional apology from the United States for the killing of three Indian sailors in an American military strike in the Gulf of Oman. The opposition party accused New Delhi of responding with diplomatic language too muted for what it called an illegal act of lethal force against civilian shipping.

What Congress Said

Pawan Khera, Chairman of the All India Congress Committee (AICC) Media and Publicity Department, posted his criticism on social media platform X, accusing the government of failing to take a firm stand. He quoted US Secretary of State Marco Rubio as reportedly warning that failure to comply with US military orders 'will not be tolerated' — language Khera described as 'command, not contrition.'

'There was no acknowledgement of the lives lost, no acceptance of responsibility, and no apology,' Khera said. He also took sharp aim at External Affairs Minister's description of lethal strikes on commercial shipping as 'not justified,' calling the phrase a 'carefully sterilised euphemism' that failed to name the strike as 'illegal, reckless, and unacceptable.'

India's Official Response So Far

On Friday, 12 June, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) summoned US Charge d'Affaires Jason Meeks to lodge a strong protest against continuing attacks by US naval forces on commercial vessels carrying Indian seafarers in the Gulf of Oman. The MEA stated that Washington's actions are 'unacceptable and undermine the safety, security and stability of international maritime commerce' in a sensitive region.

'A strong protest was lodged with him regarding the continuing attacks by US naval forces on commercial vessels carrying Indian mariners in the Gulf of Oman, which have already resulted in the tragic and avoidable loss of three Indian lives,' the MEA said in an official statement.

This was the second time in recent days that Meeks was summoned by the MEA. An earlier summons on Wednesday followed attacks on commercial vessels off the Omani coast, including the commercial ship Settebello, aboard which the three Indian seafarers were killed.

The Diplomatic Gap Congress Is Highlighting

The Congress's criticism centres on a perceived gap between the severity of the incident and the strength of India's diplomatic response. While the MEA used the words 'unacceptable' and 'tragic and avoidable,' it stopped short of demanding a formal apology or using language that assigns legal culpability to US forces. Khera argued that 'not justified' is qualitatively different from 'illegal' — and that the distinction matters for the families of the deceased and for India's standing in asserting maritime sovereignty.

Notably, this episode comes at a moment of heightened US military activity in the Gulf region, with Washington conducting operations it says are aimed at securing international shipping lanes. Critics argue those operations have repeatedly endangered civilian vessels and crews from non-belligerent nations, including India.

What Happens Next

The MEA has requested that Jason Meeks convey India's concerns to US authorities and ensure that American forces operating in the region take all necessary steps to prevent further civilian casualties. Whether Washington responds with a formal acknowledgement — let alone an apology — remains to be seen. The Congress has signalled it will continue to press the government on the issue in Parliament.