‘My friend’ diplomacy collides with claims of violations of the US blockade
By B N KUMAR
MUMBAI, June 13 (The CONNECT) : Notwithstanding the recent exchange of warm “my friend” messages between U.S. President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a fresh diplomatic wrinkle has emerged in India-US relations after Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned that violations of the U.S. blockade and the illicit transport of Iranian oil “will not be tolerated.”
The warning came even as India lodged a strong protest over the killing of three Indian mariners in a U.S. naval action in the Gulf, setting up a curious contrast between public displays of camaraderie at the highest political level and growing discomfort over developments at sea.
According to the U.S. State Department, Rubio discussed recent developments in the Strait of Hormuz with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and stressed that all commercial vessels should immediately comply with instructions issued by American forces.
“The Secretary stressed that all commercial vessels should immediately comply with orders from U.S. forces as they seek to uphold peace and security in the Strait. He underscored that violations of the U.S. blockade and the illicit transport of Iranian oil will not be tolerated,” the State Department said.
Jaishankar’s public account of the conversation focused on an entirely different issue.
“Spoke to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio this evening. I reiterated India’s strong protest at the attacks by the US Navy in the Gulf that killed three Indian mariners. Such lethal actions against commercial shipping are not justified,” he posted on X at 1.04 AM today.
Notably, Jaishankar made no public reference to Rubio’s remarks on blockade violations or the alleged illicit transport of Iranian oil.
The omission raises a series of questions.
Was Rubio merely reiterating a long-standing U.S. sanctions policy against Iran? Or was he referring to a specific vessel linked to the incident in which three Indian sailors lost their lives? Does Washington suspect ships with Indian ownership, management or crew of participating in sanctions-busting oil trade? If so, has New Delhi sought evidence or clarification?
At present, there is no public evidence that India as a country has violated sanctions or engaged in illicit transportation of Iranian oil. Yet the inclusion of such language in an official U.S. diplomatic readout is unusual and difficult to ignore.
The issue becomes even more significant because the conversation was expected to focus primarily on India’s protest over the deaths of its citizens.
Instead, the State Department chose to highlight compliance with U.S. naval orders and alleged Iranian oil transportation, while the Indian side highlighted only the deaths of the sailors and the protest lodged by New Delhi.
The controversy comes barely days after Trump congratulated Modi on completing 12 years in office, hailing him as “my friend” and praising his leadership. Modi responded warmly, thanking the U.S. President and reaffirming his commitment to strengthening bilateral ties.
Yet the cordial exchange now sits uneasily alongside India’s protest over the deaths of three Indian sailors and Rubio’s warning on the alleged illicit transport of Iranian oil.
The juxtaposition raises an obvious question: if India and the United States are enjoying one of their warmest phases in recent years, why did Washington feel compelled to issue such an unusual warning to New Delhi, and why has the Indian government remained publicly silent on that aspect of the conversation?
The silence surrounding the deaths has also attracted political attention.
While Trump promptly congratulated Modi on his political milestone and Modi publicly acknowledged the gesture, neither leader referred to the killing of the three Indian mariners in their public exchanges.
The country deserves answers on two counts: why three Indian sailors lost their lives in a U.S. military action, and what exactly prompted Rubio’s reference to violations of the blockade and the illicit transport of Iranian oil.
For now, Rubio’s statement has widened the debate beyond the deaths of three Indian mariners. It has introduced a second, potentially more sensitive issue: whether the United States is signalling concerns about activities involving vessels with Indian links, and whether a larger sanctions-related dispute is lurking beneath the surface of an otherwise warm bilateral relationship.
