Key Points
Three Indian sailors died in US military strike on commercial vessel MT Settebello.
US State Department demanded compliance with military orders and warned against blockade violations.
Rahul Gandhi accused Modi of remaining silent and acting like obedient servant to US.
Congress leader called for government response and return of sailors' remains.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi launched a sharp attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the deaths of three Indian sailors in a US military strike on the commercial vessel MT Settebello. Gandhi accused the government of remaining silent and claimed the US showed no remorse or apology. He argued that America continued issuing military directives that undermined India’s sovereignty while the government complied without protest.
What Triggered the Political Row
Three Indian sailors died when the US military attacked the commercial vessel MT Settebello. Following a call between India’s External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the US State Department issued a statement. The statement said commercial vessels must comply with American military instructions and warned that violations of the US blockade on Iranian ports would not be tolerated.
Gandhi’s Core Complaint
Gandhi posted on X that a free country would never accept such language from a foreign power. He alleged India’s government listened like an obedient servant and complied with orders. Gandhi quoted the US State Department phrases: Comply immediately with US military orders and No violation will be tolerated. He also appealed to the government to bring back the sailors’ remains.
Timing and Context
Gandhi’s criticism comes as Prime Minister Modi travels to France for the G7 summit in Evian-les-Bains. Modi is scheduled to hold bilateral talks with US President Donald Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron. The political attack highlights tensions between India’s opposition and government over foreign policy decisions and military incidents.
Final Thoughts
Gandhi’s attack raises questions about India’s diplomatic response to the sailor deaths and US military actions. The row reflects broader political divisions over how India should handle relations with the United States during Modi’s G7 visit.
FAQs
Three Indian sailors died when the US military attacked the commercial vessel MT Settebello, which was flagged under Palau, not India.
The US State Department stated commercial vessels must comply with American military instructions and warned against violating the US blockade on Iranian ports.
Gandhi accused PM Modi of remaining silent on the deaths and claimed India complied with US military orders without protest, compromising national sovereignty.
Disclaimer:
The content shared by Meyka AI PTY LTD is solely for research and informational purposes. Meyka is not a financial advisory service, and the information provided should not be considered investment or trading advice.
About Author

Huzaifa Zahoor
Co FounderHuzaifa Zahoor is the engineer who built Meyka. He has spent years writing Python, training AI models, and building data pipelines specifically for financial markets. His technical articles have reached over 30,000 readers on Medium, so he knows how to make complex things easy to follow. If this article touches on how the tools work, he is the person who actually built them.
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