India urges Russia and Ukraine to stop Black Sea maritime attacks

India has urged Russia and Ukraine to guarantee safe passage for commercial ships traveling through the Black Sea. Deutsche Welle reported that the Indian government warned that recent strikes on merchant vessels put Indian seafarers in danger and threaten vital global food and energy supplies. [1]

Indian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated that the targeting of seafarers and commercial shipping must stop, calling for free navigation in international waterways to be restored as soon as possible. According to Deutsche Welle, an industry report for 2026 shows that India supplies over 12% of the global seafaring workforce, with 311,936 maritime professionals. [1]

The calls come alongside European efforts to secure maritime routes in the region. AzerNews and Anadolu Ajansı both reported that Germany has urged Russia to agree to a Black Sea ceasefire to protect international grain shipments. [2][3]

The Black Sea is bordered by Bulgaria, Georgia, Romania, Russia, Turkey, and Ukraine. It serves as a vital corridor for shipping grain exports and energy resources from Russia and Central Asia to Europe. [12][14]

The safety calls follow recent military strikes on commercial vessels in the region. As FTMQ News reported earlier, authorities have been investigating suspected Russian drone attacks on ships off the coasts of Romania and Bulgaria. [16][17]