India on Tuesday summoned Iran’s Deputy Chief of Mission in New Delhi and lodged a strong protest after attacks on two commercial vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz left an Indian seafarer dead and 10 others injured.The Ministry of External Affairs said it was deeply concerned over the attacks on MT Al Bahiyah and MT Mombasa, which together had 30 Indian seafarers among their combined crew of 46.According to the MEA, of the 12 Indians aboard MT Al Bahiyah, one was killed and another injured. Of the 18 Indians on MT Mombasa, nine sustained injuries, including two whose condition is stated to be critical.“Our mission and post in the UAE are closely monitoring the situation and are in touch with the UAE authorities to ensure all possible assistance to the affected Indian seafarers,” the MEA said, adding that Iran’s Deputy Chief of Mission was summoned on Tuesday morning and a “strong protest” lodged over the attacks.The ministry extended condolences to the family of the deceased sailor and wished a speedy recovery to those injured.The UAE Ministry of Defence had earlier said the two UAE-flagged tankers were struck by Iranian cruise missiles while transiting the southern shipping lane of the Strait of Hormuz within Omani territorial waters. The attack caused fires and material damage to both vessels, though the blazes were later brought under control.Condemning the incident, the MEA said India strongly denounced “attacks and acts of violence targeting seafarers and disrupting free and safe navigation through international waterways like the Strait of Hormuz”.It also voiced concern over the renewed escalation in West Asia, calling for an immediate cessation of hostilities and a return to dialogue and diplomacy.“In particular, the targeting of commercial shipping and civilian infrastructure in the region must cease so that free and unimpeded navigation and commerce through international waterways, in keeping with international law, can be restored at the earliest,” the ministry said.The latest incident marks a sharp escalation in tensions in the Gulf, where the Strait of Hormuz remains one of the world’s most critical maritime chokepoints, carrying nearly a fifth of global oil trade.The attack is also likely to heighten concerns in New Delhi over the safety of thousands of Indian seafarers employed on merchant vessels operating in the conflict-hit region.Government sources said since February 28 this year, 13 Indian nationals had been killed and three remained missing in incidents across the Gulf region, underlining the growing human cost of the ongoing conflict for Indian citizens working in the region.India, which imports a substantial portion of its crude oil requirements through the Gulf, has consistently maintained that maritime routes must remain open for lawful commerce and that disruptions to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz have far-reaching implications for global energy security, trade and supply chains.