India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar spoke with his Iranian counterpart Syed Abbas Araghchi on Friday evening and ‘strongly urged’ an end to all attacks on commercial vessels near the Strait of Hormuz, as the US-Iran conflict threatens one of the world’s most critical shipping lanes.
‘Had a tele-conversation with FM Araghchi of Iran this evening. Conveyed our deep concerns at the ongoing hostilities in the region. Strongly urged that attacks on commercial shipping and seafarers be avoided under any circumstance. India condemns any such attack by any party,’ Jaishankar said in a social media post.
The call was Jaishankar’s second in 24 hours on shipping attacks. On Thursday he spoke with Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha to condemn recent attacks on commercial vessels in the Black Sea, where the Ukraine war has opened a parallel maritime front. The Ukrainian military recently hit the MV Omorfi, a merchant vessel in Russian territorial waters, killing an Indian sailor.
India’s Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said two Indian sailors remain untraceable since the MV AGN Ragnar came under attack while leaving the Ukrainian port of Odesa on July 25. The vessel carried four Indian seafarers. ‘We are in constant touch with the authorities both in Ukraine and Romania. Both have conducted search and rescue operations. We are also in touch with the family members of the missing Indian nationals and offering all possible help,’ Jaiswal said.
The diplomatic push comes as Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said they struck two tankers attempting to cross the Strait of Hormuz under US air escort, and as India faces mounting pressure to protect its citizens at sea. India has condemned attacks on maritime vessels in the strait at the United Nations Security Council, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi reviewed the West Asia conflict’s impact in a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security.
New Delhi has sought to balance ties with both Washington and Tehran while insisting that attacks on commercial shipping and seafarers are unacceptable ‘by any party’. The strait normally carries about a fifth of the world’s oil, and India depends heavily on Gulf crude, while Indian citizens crew a large share of the global merchant fleet, making seafarer safety a direct national interest.
Analysts say the dual crises in the Strait of Hormuz and the Black Sea have left India caught between the US-Iran and Russia-Ukraine conflicts, forcing New Delhi into an increasingly active diplomatic role as both wars disrupt the shipping lanes on which its economy depends.
Sources: The Hindu, The Hindu live updates, The National
Author: Middle East Desk
discussion