Soon after a ship bound for India was hit by a projectile in the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday (March 11, 2026), the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said it “deplores” such attacks and stated that the intensity of strikes on commercial shipping in the region “seems to be increasing”.

“India deplores the fact that commercial shipping is being made a target of military attacks in the ongoing conflict in West Asia. Precious lives, including those of Indian citizens, have already been lost in multiple such attacks in the earlier phase of this conflict, and the intensity and lethality of the attacks only seem to be increasing,” said the MEA in a statement.

The statement followed an attack on a Thai vessel, Mayuree Naree, which was bound for Gujarat’s Kandla port when it was struck by a projectile on Wednesday (March 11, 2026).

The attack is the latest in a series of incidents that have left dozens of Indian sailors injured and at least three dead. Earlier, vessels MT Sky Light, MT Vyom and LCH ALYH were hit by projectiles during the first three days of the conflict after hostilities flared up following Israel’s strike on Tehran on February 28.

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India has been in contact with all stakeholders in the region, including Iran. External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar held a telephone discussion with his Iranian counterpart Seyed Abbas Araghchi on Tuesday (March 10, 2026).

Following the conversation, the Iranian Foreign Ministry said the “insecure situation and problems arising for shipping in the Persian Gulf are a result of the aggressive and destabilising actions of the United States, and the international community must hold the U.S. accountable for this situation”.

“India reiterates that targeting commercial shipping and endangering innocent civilian crew members or otherwise impeding freedom of navigation and commerce should be avoided,” the MEA said.