India Seeks Black Sea Deal as Merchant Ships Face Fresh Attacks

India is engaging Ukraine and Russia to ensure safe passage of grain and energy through the Black Sea as fresh attacks on commercial vessels continued to disrupt shipping and put its seafarers at risk.

“We are trying to be helpful, starting with the Black Sea safety of shipping issue, addressing immediate concerns of Russia and Ukraine on grain and energy exports, and non-attack possibilities,” Randhir Jaiswal, spokesperson for India’s Ministry of External Affairs, said Wednesday in New Delhi.

India’s reiteration of its efforts to secure safe passage for shipping coincided with a string of attacks on commercial vessels with Indian seafarers onboard.

New Delhi condemned the attacks. “A Togo-flagged ship, Alfa Watan, was attacked yesterday and the fate of its crew is unknown,” Jaiswal said.

One Indian merchant sailor was injured when the Palau-flagged MV Able was hit in the region, he said. Twenty-three Indian seafarers were rescued after another Liberian-flagged oil tanker was attacked, he added.

India was taking a more direct role in efforts to address the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, engaging both sides on shipping and reducing hostilities, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar said Monday.

India reached out to both Russia and Ukraine in July after Indian seafarers were killed in attacks on commercial vessels, the minister said. Those contacts broadened from maritime security to whether grain exports through the Black Sea could be facilitated, with energy subsequently becoming part of the discussions, Jaishankar said, cautioning that there was no certainty of an agreement, Bloomberg News reported .

“The targeting of commercial shipping and seafarers in the region must end, and free and unimpeded navigation and commerce through the international waterways must be restored at the earliest,” Jaiswal said.