India voices grave concern over Black Sea, Hormuz attacks
India has expressed grave concern over attacks on commercial vessels in the Black Sea and the Strait of Hormuz, after two foreign seafarers were killed and several crew members, including Indian nationals, were injured.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) condemned the attack on the MV Royad Mammadov in the Black Sea, where two foreign crew members lost their lives.
Several other members of the crew were injured in the incident, including Indian nationals. The injured seafarers were rescued by Romanian authorities and are undergoing medical treatment, the MEA said.
The ministry confirmed that the three Indian nationals on the vessel’s crew are safe. It also thanked Romanian authorities for their prompt assistance following the attack.
India said attacks on commercial shipping and seafarers were a serious threat to international trade and the welfare of people worldwide.
“The targeting of traffic in international waterways is severely undermining global commerce and the welfare of people across the world,” the MEA said, reiterating India’s support for dialogue and diplomacy to resolve ongoing conflicts.
The ministry also highlighted a new international initiative launched by India and Liberia during the United Nations General Assembly in September 2026. The two countries launched a 25-nation Group of Friends on Safety and Security of Shipping and Seafarers to strengthen international efforts to protect merchant crews and commercial vessels from targeted attacks.
Meanwhile, the MEA condemned another attack involving the Panama-flagged commercial vessel MT on peace off the coast of Oman while it was transiting the Strait of Hormuz.
The vessel was carrying 19 crew members, including 17 Indian nationals, when a projectile struck it. According to the MEA, 12 crew members were injured, of whom 11 were Indian nationals.
The injured crew members were evacuated with assistance from Omani authorities and taken to Khasab, Oman, for medical treatment. India expressed its appreciation to Oman for assisting.
The MEA said the repeated attacks on shipping in the region remained a matter of deep concern and called for an immediate halt to such incidents.
India urged that attacks targeting commercial vessels, seafarers and civilian infrastructure must end. In contrast, the safe movement of ships and commercial activity through international waterways should be restored at the earliest.
The latest developments come amid heightened security concerns across major maritime routes, including the Strait of Hormuz, the Red Sea and the Black Sea.
Separately, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported that a commercial tanker travelling through the Strait of Hormuz was forced to turn back after allegedly being hailed and threatened by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
The incident took place on Monday at around 08:27 UTC, approximately 11 nautical miles north of Khasab, Oman. According to the UKMTO advisory, the vessel was warned that it could be targeted if it failed to comply with instructions to turn back. The master subsequently confirmed that the crew complied and altered the vessel’s course.
The incidents have renewed concerns over the safety of international shipping and seafarers as commercial vessels continue to navigate increasingly volatile maritime corridors.
