Jaishankar Flags Attacks On Civilian Shipping At G20, Says Global South Hit Hardest

Atlanta: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Friday highlighted grave concerns regarding repeated attacks on civilian shipping and seafarers during the G20 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, emphasising the critical imperative to protect freedom of navigation.

In a message shared on X, Jaishankar noted that nations within the Global South were disproportionately suffering the impacts of Middle Eastern hostilities, which placed the availability and pricing of fuel, food and fertilisers under severe threat.

"Global South is disproportionately bearing the consequences of attacks on civilian shipping and seafarers, jeopardising the availability and cost of fuel, food and fertilisers," Jaishankar stated.

He further underscored the necessity of upholding freedom of navigation and halting assaults in strict alignment with global legal frameworks, particularly the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

"Urgent need to preserve the freedom of navigation and ensure cessation of attacks within the framework of international law, especially UNCLOS. India and Liberia have launched a joint initiative to safeguard seafarers," he added.

Additionally, Jaishankar drew attention to barriers facing industrial growth, cautioning that developing economies faced obstacles to their rightful path to industrialisation.

"Right to industrialise is being denied through the flooding of markets, weaponising supply chains, constricting market access and encouraging market distortions. This must cease," he remarked.

"Tactical calculations should not lead to overlooking the dangers of terrorism. It is a high-risk activity which has come back to bite even the practitioners," he further noted.

This development follows an incident in which the Panama-flagged oil tanker MT LOUISE 1, carrying 27 Indian seafarers, sustained damage from limpet mines inside the Strait of Hormuz, representing the first confirmed deployment of such explosives against a vessel in that zone since the commencement of the US-Iran war in February.

Meanwhile, Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal confirmed on Friday that all 29 Indian crew members aboard two tankers struck in separate incidents on October 29 and 30 remained unharmed, with no casualties reported.

Taking to X, Sonowal stated, "On October 29, Liberia-flagged VLCC MT ARZANAH, carrying two Indian nationals, and on October 30, Panama-flagged crude oil tanker MT LOUISE 1, carrying 27 Indian seafarers, were targeted in projectile attacks in the Strait of Hormuz."

"All 29 Indian seafarers across both vessels are completely safe with no injuries," he added.