India, Liberia demand immediate halt to Gulf and Black Sea ship attacks

India and Liberia have condemned recent attacks on commercial ships and seafarers in the Gulf and the Black Sea. The co-chairs of a UN maritime safety group said the strikes threaten trade, lives and regional stability.Image used for representational purposes onlyUnitednations,Oct 8, 2026 22:48 ISTIndia and Liberia on Thursday strongly condemned the recent attacks on commercial ships and seafarers in the Gulf and the Black Sea, calling them "unacceptable" and seeking an immediate end to such strikes in the interest of peace and stability in the region.As co-chairs of the Group of Friends on Safety & Security of Shipping & Seafarers (GoF on S4), the two countries said attacks that disrupt maritime trade and claim innocent lives are "indefensible". They also called for greater coordination to prevent such incidents from happening again.In a statement issued on Thursday, the Permanent Mission of India to the UN said India and Liberia strongly condemned the "string of unacceptable attacks that commercial ships and seafarers have been subjected to in the Gulf and its vicinity, the Black Sea, over the past few days". "We call for an immediate cessation of such attacks in the interest of peace and stability in the region," they said.India and Liberia launched GoF on S4 on September 25 on the margins of the high-level UN General Assembly week. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Liberia's Minister for Foreign Affairs Sara Beysolow Nyanti had announced the initiative, saying repeated attacks on seafarers that disrupt maritime commerce and cost innocent lives are "unacceptable". The two countries also extended their deepest condolences to the families of seafarers who have lost their lives and prayed for the early recovery of those injured. They said they stood ready to support greater coordination to discourage the recurrence of such attacks and safeguard the rights of seafarers.The statement came amid a series of attacks on commercial vessels in the region. On Wednesday, the Ministry of External Affairs condemned attacks on the Togo-flagged Alfa Watan, Palau-flagged Able and Liberia-flagged Aframax Rio in the Black Sea. Seven of the 18 crew members aboard the Able are Indian nationals, and one of them was injured. Earlier this week, the Panama-flagged commercial vessel MT On Peace was hit by a projectile while passing through the Strait of Hormuz off the coast of Oman. Seventeen of the vessel's 19 crew members are Indian nationals. Twelve crew members, including 11 Indians, were injured. With the help of Omani authorities, the injured crew members were evacuated and are receiving medical treatment in Khasab, Oman.India and Liberia, while condemning the latest attacks in the Gulf and the Black Sea, said such strikes on commercial shipping and seafarers must stop immediately, and called for closer coordination to protect maritime trade and seafarers.With PTI Inputs- Ends