‘Actions That Disrupt Maritime Commerce & Cost Innocent Lives are Indefensible’: Jaishankar on Seafarers' Safety at UNGA

External Affairs Minister Dr S. Jaishankar on Friday stressed the urgent need for stronger international cooperation to protect seafarers and commercial shipping, declaring that attacks disrupting maritime trade and claiming innocent lives are “simply indefensible.”

Speaking at the inaugural meeting of the Group of Friends on Safety and Security of Shipping and Seafarers during the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly, Jaishankar highlighted a series of recent lethal incidents involving Indian crew members and others.

Just two days earlier, an Antigua and Barbuda-flagged bulk carrier, MV Cape Dao, was attacked in the Gulf of Oman, resulting in the death of an Indian sailor. Ten days prior, a Panama-flagged oil tanker, El Gaia, was struck while transiting the Strait of Hormuz, leaving an Indian crew member missing. Similar assaults have occurred in the Black Sea: MV Omorfi was hit in Russian territorial waters on 18 July, killing its Indian chief officer, while the following day MV Golden Leo was struck after leaving Odessa, claiming the lives of four Indian seafarers.

“These, regrettably, are no longer exceptional occurrences,” Jaishankar said.

“In the last few months, commercial shipping and mariners have been subjected to repeated attacks in the Gulf, the Red Sea, and its vicinity. Such unacceptable actions are also occurring in the Black Sea,” he said.

He noted that while the examples cited involved Indian nationals, seafarers from many other countries have also been casualties this year.

“From the Black Sea to the Red Sea to the Gulf, attacks on civilian shipping have become a growing cause of concern,” he said.

Emphasising the stakes, the External Affairs Minister pointed out that international trade exceeds $140 billion a day, with oceans supporting more than 80 per cent of that activity. Nearly two million seafarers operate the world’s merchant fleets, often facing not only physical dangers but also prolonged confinement, delayed crew changes and repatriation, separation from families, and psychological distress.

“We are here not just to highlight this dangerous trend, but to urge the international community to close ranks and deter such attacks,” Jaishankar stated.

“Despite the existence of international and regional frameworks for protecting the rights of seafarers, there is a need for stronger and closer international cooperation on this matter. Seafarers often belong to a different nationality than the flag that the commercial vessels fly, which makes the case for a concerted effort by the international community even stronger,” the external affairs minister said.

India, a major source of seafarers, and Liberia, which hosts the largest shipping registry, jointly proposed the Group of Friends. Jaishankar recalled that two weeks earlier, at the BRICS summit hosted by India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had proposed establishing a Seafarers Emergency Support Network to connect maritime authorities and embassies, facilitate distress alerts, medical assistance, communication with families, and support for evacuation where needed. India had also co-organised an Arria-formula meeting in the UN Security Council with Greece and the Philippines in November last year and participated in a high-level open debate on maritime safety in April 2026.

In a subsequent joint briefing with Liberia’s Sara Beysolow Nyanti on the sidelines of UNGA, Jaishankar reiterated: “You will all be aware that in recent months, the world has seen unacceptable attacks on commercial shipping and merchant mariners. These have occurred across the Strait of Hormuz, the Red Sea, and the Black Sea. We believe that there can be no justification for such violence and loss of life. Put simply, these attacks must stop.”

He added that India and Liberia had brought together other states with similar interests as well as major ship-owners to address both the lethal attacks and the broader challenges facing seafarers.