Collateral Damage at the Chokepoint: The Forgotten Indian Sailors of the Hormuz War
Collateral Damage at the Chokepoint: The Forgotten Indian Sailors of the Hormuz War While Washington and Tehran trade triumphant headlines about "great settlements" and a looming 60-day truce, the families of three Indian merchant mariners are mourning a devastating reality. For them, the diplomatic posturing came too late. The tragic deaths of three Indian sailors on the Palau-flagged oil tanker M/T Settebello—killed during a U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) strike aimed at enforcing its naval blockade in the Strait of Hormuz—highlights a brutal truth: in the high-stakes shadow war between global superpowers, it is innocent civilian seafarers who pay the ultimate price. The Cost of the Chokehold The Strait of Hormuz is the world’s most critical maritime artery, responsible for the transit of one-fifth of global oil consumption. For months, the war has choked this vital passage, sending global energy prices soaring and disrupting supply chains. In a bid...