Attacks on commercial vessels, Indian seafarers ‘absolutely unacceptable’, Jaishankar tells Ukraine’s Sybiha

Attacks on commercial vessels and Indian seafarers are “absolutely unacceptable”, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar said on Thursday (July 30, 2026), after a round of telephone discussions with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha. The conversation was held against the backdrop of continued attacks on civilian vessels in the Black Sea and nearby regions by both Ukraine and Russia, which have led to fatalities and injuries to several Indian seafarers over the past fortnight.

“Discussed attacks on commercial shipping and Indian seafarers in the Black Sea. Such attacks by any party are absolutely unacceptable and India condemns them unequivocally,” Mr. Jaishankar said.

Mr. Sybiha has pointed to Russia for the escalation of attacks in the Black Sea and adjoining areas, which have emerged as the maritime front of the Russia-Ukraine war.

“I stressed that the consequences of Russian aggression extend far beyond Ukraine’s borders. By attacking civilian vessels in the Black Sea, Russia undermines freedom of navigation and puts global food security at risk,” Mr. Sybiha said, adding that he “encouraged India to play an active role in peace efforts”.

India summoned Ukrainian Ambassador Oleksandr Polishchuk on Monday (July 27, 2026) after reports surfaced that an Indian sailor had been killed in an attack on merchant vessel M.V. Omorfi on July 18, 2026.

The tit-for-tat attacks in the Black Sea have led to a new security threat for Indian sailors as India is the second largest supplier of seafarers in the global merchant vessel sector. The attack on M.V. Omorfi was followed by the July 19, 2026, hit on M.V. Golden Leo near the port of Odesa by projectiles that were fired by the Russian side, leaving 10 seafarers dead, out of whom four were Indians.

This was followed by MV AGN Ragnartaking a hit at the port of Odesa on July 25, 2026. Four Indian nationals were on board this ship, of whom two have been declared safe by the Indian Embassy in Kyiv, and two are yet to be located.