India and Liberia have strongly condemned attacks on commercial vessels and seafarers in the Gulf region and the Black Sea. The two countries have called for an immediate end to the attacks and pledged greater coordination to improve maritime safety…reports Asian Lite News Desk
India and Liberia have strongly condemned a series of attacks on commercial vessels and seafarers in the Gulf region, its surrounding waters and the Black Sea, calling for an immediate cessation of hostilities.
The two countries issued a joint statement on Thursday through their respective Permanent Missions to the United Nations in New York. India and Liberia are co-chairs of the Group of Friends on Safety and Security of Shipping and Seafarers, an initiative launched on 25 September 2026.
The statement condemned what it described as a series of unacceptable attacks on commercial ships and seafarers over the past few days.
“India and Liberia, as co-chairs of the Group of Friends on Safety and Security of Shipping and Seafarers (GoF on S4), strongly condemn the string of unacceptable attacks that commercial ships and seafarers have been subjected to in the Gulf and its vicinity, the Black Sea, over the past few days,” the statement said.
It added: “These actions that disrupt maritime trade and cost innocent lives are simply indefensible. We call for an immediate cessation of such attacks in the interest of peace and stability in the region.”
The countries also expressed condolences to the families of seafarers who had died in the attacks and wished those injured a speedy recovery.
“We extend our deepest condolences to the families of the seafarers who have lost their lives and pray for early recovery of those injured,” the statement said.
India and Liberia said they were ready to support greater coordination to prevent similar incidents and safeguard seafarers’ rights. The joint initiative is intended to strengthen cooperation on the safety and security of commercial shipping and the people working aboard vessels.
The statement comes amid reports of attacks on commercial vessels in the Black Sea region. India had condemned such incidents on Wednesday, calling for dialogue and diplomacy to ease tensions and enable an early return to peace.
Addressing a regular media briefing in New Delhi, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the attacks threatened commercial shipping and placed seafarers’ lives at risk.
“We have seen a string of attacks targeting commercial vessels in the Black Sea region in the last one or two days. We condemn such attacks that threaten commercial shipping and endanger lives of our seafaring community,” Jaiswal said.
He also provided details of an incident involving the commercial vessel MV Royad Mammadov, which came under attack while sailing in the Black Sea.
“First, the commercial vessel MV Royad Mammadov came under attack while it was flying in the Black Sea. There were three Indian nationals onboard. All of them are safe, but one of them got injured, and he is receiving treatment,” he said.
Jaiswal thanked Romanian authorities for their assistance following the incident.
“We thank the Romanian authorities who lent us a helping hand and have been very helpful in this particular incident,” he added.
The ministry did not provide further details about the circumstances of the attack in the statement cited in the briefing.
The latest condemnation highlights concerns over the risks facing commercial shipping and maritime workers amid heightened tensions in key waterways. Attacks on vessels can disrupt trade routes and expose crews to serious danger, prompting calls for restraint and measures to protect civilian shipping.
India and Liberia’s joint statement reiterated the importance of safeguarding seafarers and maintaining maritime security. Both countries called for an immediate end to attacks, while India separately emphasised diplomacy as a means of reducing tensions in the Black Sea region.
