International

IIE DIGITAL: ndia on Monday summoned Ukraine's Ambassador to India, Oleksandr Polishchuk, and lodged a strong diplomatic protest over the attack on a commercial vessel in the Black Sea that claimed the life of an Indian seafarer last week.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) conveyed its deep concern over the July 18 attack on the merchant vessel MV OMORFI, in which an Indian crew member was killed. The vessel was reportedly struck while operating in Russian territorial waters. The incident is one of three recent attacks involving merchant ships with Indian crew members in the Black Sea region over the past ten days.

In an official statement, the MEA condemned attacks on commercial shipping in the strongest terms, stressing that such incidents threaten maritime safety, freedom of navigation, and international trade. India urged the Ukrainian envoy to convey its serious concerns to the Ukrainian government and reiterated that attacks endangering civilian seafarers are unacceptable and must not be repeated.

Earlier in the day, the Ukrainian Embassy in New Delhi said Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha had written to External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, expressing condolences over the death of the Indian sailor. The embassy also extended its sympathies to the families of those affected by the worsening security situation in the Black Sea.

Ukraine further proposed an early conversation between the foreign ministers of both countries to discuss regional maritime security. The embassy maintained that lasting safety in the Black Sea would require greater international pressure on Russia to halt attacks on civilian shipping.

The Ukrainian mission also stated that the risks to civilian vessels navigating the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov could be reduced through swift responses to security warnings and enhanced international coordination, amid continuing tensions in the region.