The container ship was carrying 11 crew members, all of them nationals of India, when it was struck while transiting waters near the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday morning. Ten sailors were rescued, while search operations continued for the missing seafarer with support from authorities in Oman.
A fire erupted aboard the GFS Galaxy after the strike caused extensive damage to its engine room. The crew abandoned the vessel and moved into a lifeboat as the blaze disabled the ship and prevented it from continuing its voyage.
The Ministry of External Affairs said the embassy in Muscat was monitoring the rescue effort and coordinating with Omani authorities. It expressed serious concern over attacks on commercial vessels and civilian infrastructure, warning that such actions endangered seafarers and risked widening the conflict.
New Delhi urged all parties to exercise restraint and return to dialogue, arguing that diplomacy remained essential for achieving lasting peace and stability. The appeal reflected mounting concern over the exposure of shipping crews, energy supplies and trade routes to expanding military operations in the Gulf.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations centre reported the incident in waters off Oman and advised vessels operating in the area to maintain heightened caution. Maritime security alerts indicated that the crew had abandoned ship after the fire broke out and that rescue assistance had been mobilised.
Iran acknowledged firing at the vessel but described the projectile as a warning shot. Iranian authorities claimed the GFS Galaxy had been travelling through a route that had not been approved after instructions were issued to commercial traffic in the Strait of Hormuz.
That explanation has intensified concern among shipping companies because coastal states do not have unrestricted authority to impose routes on vessels using internationally recognised transit passages. The Strait of Hormuz connects the Gulf with the Arabian Sea and is one of the world’s most strategically important maritime corridors.
The attack followed escalating exchanges between Iran and the United States, with Washington carrying out retaliatory strikes against Iranian military targets. Tehran has threatened to restrict navigation through the strait, while the United States has maintained that commercial passage remains open.
Shipping traffic has nevertheless faced severe disruption. Vessel operators have delayed sailings, altered routes or instructed ships to wait in safer waters as insurers reassess war-risk exposure. Any prolonged interruption would affect crude oil, liquefied natural gas, refined products, fertilisers and containerised goods moving between Gulf ports and global markets.
The Strait of Hormuz carries roughly a fifth of the oil consumed worldwide, making security developments there critical for energy-importing economies. India depends heavily on Gulf suppliers for crude oil and gas, while thousands of its nationals work aboard merchant vessels operating through the region.
The GFS Galaxy incident has also sharpened concerns over the vulnerability of civilian crews during military confrontations. Seafarers may have limited information about changes in navigation rules, military warnings or exclusion zones, particularly when instructions are issued at short notice across congested waters.
Oman has traditionally played a diplomatic role between Iran, the United States and other regional actors. Muscat has hosted negotiations and carried messages between governments during periods of heightened tension, while also overseeing coastal waters close to the strait’s main shipping lanes.
India has maintained relations with both Tehran and Washington while supporting freedom of navigation and the protection of commercial traffic. Its diplomatic position has emphasised de-escalation without endorsing unilateral action by either side.
