Kashmir Impulse Desk

New Delhi, April 29 

India on Wednesday condemned recent attacks on commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, calling them unacceptable and a threat to global trade and maritime security.

Speaking at a United Nations Security Council meeting, India’s Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN, Yogna Patel, said attempts to target commercial shipping in the strategic waterway were “highly deplorable”.

“The current situation in the Strait of Hormuz is of great concern for India in terms of energy and economic security,” Patel said during a debate held under Bahrain’s council presidency.

She stressed that maritime security and the protection of key sea lanes were essential for global stability, adding that India, as a major trading nation, strongly opposed any actions endangering civilian seafarers.

“Such actions have resulted in the tragic loss of precious lives of Indian seafarers and are unacceptable,” she said.

India called for the restoration of safe and unimpeded navigation through the Strait in line with international law, underscoring the importance of the route for global commerce.

The country is among the world’s top suppliers of seafarers, accounting for about 13% of the global workforce in the sector.

The Ministry of External Affairs said last month that eight Indian seafarers had died in incidents linked to the tensions in the region, while one remains unaccounted for.

Indian authorities also raised concerns over an incident in mid-April in which Indian-flagged vessels were fired upon in the Strait and forced to turn back, though no crew members were injured.

New Delhi has formally protested the episode, officials said, reiterating concerns over the safety of maritime routes critical to energy supplies and trade flows.