During the Gaza war on 13 April 2024, Iran captured an Israeli-affiliated vessel near the Strait of Hormuz called MSC Aries, carrying 17 Indian crew members. Iran released all 25 crew members after 20 days on 3 May 2024, but retained control of the ship.

Almost two years later, on 4 March 2026, the United States did not capture but sank an Iranian warship in international waters off Sri Lanka’s coast. Eighty-seven people were killed and 32 rescued out of a total crew of 180. The Iranian frigate was returning after taking part in the 2026 International Fleet Review held last month in the eastern Indian coastal city of Vishakapatnam.

On 13 April 2024, the Israeli-linked vessel had been en route to the port of Nhava Sheva in Mumbai when it came under the control of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps. The MSC Aries was a Portuguese-flagged ship linked to Israeli billionaire Eyal Ofer.

Iran’s state news agency, IRNA, reported that the naval branch of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) had seized the MSC Aries. It added that the vessel was being transported to Iranian waters.

Soon after the capture of the Israeli-linked vessel in 2024, a spokesperson for the White House National Security Council said: “Seizing a civilian vessel without provocation is a blatant violation of international law and an act of piracy by the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, a designated Foreign Terrorist Organisation. It must be condemned unequivocally, and we will work with our partners to hold Iran to account for its actions.”

Echoing the White House, Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz called on the European Union “to immediately declare the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps a terrorist organisation and impose sanctions on Iran.”

Then, US President Joe Biden also issued a statement, declaring: “We are devoted to the defence of Israel. We will support Israel, we will help defend Israel, and Iran will not succeed.”

A spokesperson for Israel’s military further warned that Iran would “bear the consequences for choosing to escalate the situation any further.”

In 2024, when Iran merely captured an Israeli-linked vessel but later released all 25 crew members, representatives from both the United States and Israel—including President Biden—issued sweeping statements. They described the act as a blatant violation of international law, demanded that the IRGC be declared a terrorist organisation, called for sanctions against Iran, and reiterated that the United States remained committed to defending Israel.

However, in March 2026, when the United States sank an Iranian ship and killed 87 people, the same voices remained largely silent, while confidently claiming to have achieved a highly sought-after target.

India’s Congress Party leader Rahul Gandhi remarked: “The conflict has reached our backyard with an Iranian warship sunk in the Indian Ocean, yet Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said nothing”

India’s Congress Party leader Rahul Gandhi remarked: “The conflict has reached our backyard with an Iranian warship sunk in the Indian Ocean, yet Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said nothing”

An obvious question arises for the leadership of the United States and Israel: Do values change depending on the identity of the ship or the attacker? If it is an Israeli vessel, the act is condemned as inhuman and illegal; yet if it is an Iranian vessel, the action appears to be justified and even celebrated.

Another striking link connects these two incidents. In 2024, when Iran captured the ship, 17 of the 25 crew members were Indian. Now, on 4 March 2026, US forces sank an Iranian frigate that had just participated in the 2026 International Fleet Review in Vishakapatnam, India.

In 2024, when Iran seized an Israeli-linked vessel carrying 17 Indian crew members, the Indian government reacted with deep concern. India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar held talks with his Iranian counterpart Amir Abdollahian and raised the issue. Tehran assured New Delhi that Indian representatives would soon be allowed to meet the crew members of the MSC Aries. After 20 days, all 25 crew members, including the 17 Indians, were released on 3 May 2024.

Jaishankar, in a message posted on X after speaking with the Iranian foreign minister, stated that he had raised the issue of the release of the 17 Indian crew members while stressing the importance of avoiding escalation, exercising restraint, and returning to diplomacy. He also spoke with Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz, sharing India’s concerns about the capture of the vessel.

Leading Indian newspapers and television channels reported that India has a large diaspora in Israel—around 97,467 people—many of whom work as caregivers and agricultural labourers. Additional workers were expected to travel after the two countries signed an agreement allowing 1,500 Indian citizens to work in Israel’s construction sector. India sent the first batch on 2 April 2024 but later postponed sending the second group until the release of the 17 Indian crew members.

At the same time, a sizeable Indian population—over 4,000 people—resides in Iran. The Indian government feared that in the event of an Israeli counter-strike, the safety of the Indian diaspora in the region could be jeopardised. As a result, India attempted to avoid taking sides and was forced to walk a delicate diplomatic tightrope. Ultimately, Iran released the crew on 3 May, though it retained control of the vessel.

In 2024, like the United States and Israel, the Indian government was deeply concerned about the capture of a vessel carrying 17 Indian crew members. Now, however, when the United States has sunk an Iranian warship returning home from India after participating in the 2026 International Fleet Review naval exercise, India has remained a mute spectator—at least until the filing of this report.

Notably, New Delhi has not state the killing of 87 crew members who had only recently participated in an event hosted by India, where they even saluted the Indian president during a ceremonial march past.

India’s Congress Party leader Rahul Gandhi remarked: “The conflict has reached our backyard with an Iranian warship sunk in the Indian Ocean, yet Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said nothing.”

In a post on X, Rahul Gandhi added: “The world has entered a volatile phase. India’s oil supplies are under threat, with more than 40 percent of our imports transiting the Strait of Hormuz. The situation is even more serious for LPG and LNG.” He warned of the potential threat to India’s energy security and accused Prime Minister Modi of compromising India’s strategic autonomy.

Another notable statement came from Ashok Gehlot, the three-time Chief Minister of Rajasthan. He said: “From the era of Prime Minister Nehru and the Non-Aligned Movement to the fearless diplomacy of Indira Gandhi, India has never succumbed to pressure from any superpower.”

Gehlot also referenced another Congress-era prime minister, writing: “In the 2013 case involving the then Indian Consul in the United States, Devyani Khobragade, an Indian Foreign Service officer, former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh responded to US diplomats in India with a befitting ‘tit-for-tat’ response.”

He further stated: “India has never compromised on matters of sovereignty or shaped its policies under pressure from any external power. Our strategic silence regarding the sinking of the Iranian warship, which was our guest, raises questions about India’s goodwill.”

In another post, Gehlot added: “India is often described as the net security provider in the Indian Ocean, yet its silence suggests diplomatic pressure. As an emerging superpower, India cannot act as a mute spectator to such violent incidents in its surrounding waters. If we are truly the guardians of the Indian Ocean, we must ensure the security and safety of our guests while safeguarding our sovereignty.”

© The Friday Times