Overview
- On Saturday, September 26, 2026, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar used India’s national statement at the UN General Assembly to condemn repeated attacks on commercial vessels and name recent incidents that killed or harmed Indian seafarers, including the MV Cape Dao, El Gaia, MV Omorfi, and MV Golden Leo.
- India and Liberia launched a Group of Friends on Safety and Security of Shipping and Seafarers at UNGA and reiterated plans for a Seafarers Emergency Support Network to connect maritime authorities, embassies, shipowners, and families for faster distress response.
- Jaishankar accused a 'serial practitioner of terrorism' of misrepresenting facts at the Assembly, warned against normalizing terrorism, and said India will exercise its right to defend itself against state‑sponsored or cross‑border terrorism.
- He urged parties in the Gulf to show restraint, pressed for de‑escalation to protect civilians and keep energy and food routes open, and warned the Global South faces a '4F' crisis of food, fuel, fertiliser, and finance because of disrupted trade.
- Diplomatically, India is pushing for operational cooperation among maritime authorities and ship registries—partnering with Liberia because of its large registry—and is pressing for multilateral reforms to shield supply chains and reduce human harm to the nearly two million seafarers worldwide.