New Delhi, 12 March (H.S.):

India has voiced profound alarm over an attack on the Thai-flagged cargo vessel Mayuri Nari in the Strait of Hormuz, underscoring the grave risks to commercial shipping amid West Asia's intensifying conflict.

The Ministry of External Affairs stated that targeting merchant vessels during rising regional tensions imperils international maritime security, noting the ship was en route to Gujarat's Kandla port when struck on March 11, with India closely monitoring developments.

Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps claimed responsibility, firing projectiles after alleged warnings were ignored, sparking a fire that forced crew evacuation—20 rescued by Omani forces, three still missing.

India stressed the strait’s pivotal role in global trade and energy flows, urging all parties to exercise restraint and safeguard vital sea lanes as recent hostilities amplify threats to this strategic chokepoint.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar