India has summoned Ukraine’s envoy to protest an attack on a commercial vessel in the Black Sea near Russia that left one sailor dead.
Ukrainian Ambassador Oleksandr Polishchuk was called in to the Indian Ministry of External Affairs in connection with the drone strike on the commercial vessel MV Omorfi.
“The Ministry conveyed its serious concern over the incident and condemned such attacks on commercial shipping in the strongest terms, underscoring their adverse impact on the safety of maritime navigation, freedom of navigation, and international commerce,” the Indian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
India conveyed its strong concerns over the targeting of commercial vessels, and reiterated that such actions, which endanger the lives of innocent civilian seafarers, are unacceptable and must be avoided.
On Sunday, the ministry issued an advisory to Indian sailors working on ships “in and around the Black Sea and adjoining maritime areas.”
“Indian nationals intending to undertake employment on commercial vessels operating in or transiting the conflict-affected region are advised to carefully assess the prevailing security risks before accepting such assignments,” it said.
It advised those who accept these assignments to exercise caution, including obtaining comprehensive information from vessels.
New Delhi published a similar advisory for the Strait of Hormuz on July 16, after attacks on two ships in the strategic waterway left two Indian crew members dead and eight others injured.
India has previously summoned the US, Iranian, and Russian envoys following attacks on commercial ships in international waterways.
Russia’s chargé d’affaires was summoned last week after an attack on the Ukrainian port of Odessa left four Indian sailors dead.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov later told journalists: “We are continuing our contacts with our Indian partners and explaining our position.”
“The main point is that our armed forces are striking and will continue to strike those vessels involved in transporting ammunition, weapons and so on for the Kiev regime,” he said.
The US and Iranian envoys were also similarly called in by the Indian Foreign Ministry to convey its protest and concerns after similar attacks on shipping.