India Condemns Attacks on Saudi Airports and Ships, Calls for Protection of Seafarers at UN

New York: India has expressed serious concern over escalating hostilities in the Middle East, condemning attacks on civilian infrastructure, commercial vessels and seafarers at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).

Speaking at a UNSC debate on October 15, India’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Harish Parvathaneni, called for restraint, immediate de-escalation and a resolution to conflicts through dialogue and diplomacy.

India strongly condemned repeated attacks on Saudi Arabian airports that resulted in casualties, including the death of Indian national Mohammad Yousef Ali in Riyadh. New Delhi also expressed solidarity with Saudi Arabia and reaffirmed its support for the country’s sovereignty.

The Indian envoy highlighted growing threats to commercial shipping, citing recent attacks involving vessels such as the India-flagged MV DP World Cauvery, MT Petro Dolphin and MT Valthera. He stressed that attacks on merchant ships and seafarers were unacceptable and called for the protection of Indian crew members working in the region.

India also emphasised the need to safeguard freedom of navigation and ensure the safe, uninterrupted movement of maritime trade through international waterways. The country, along with Liberia, has launched the ‘Group of Friends on Safety and Security of Shipping and Seafarers’, with 23 member states participating in the initiative.

Referring to the wider regional crisis, India reiterated its commitment to Yemen’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and called for international cooperation to protect maritime routes, including the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and the southern Red Sea. It also stressed that the humanitarian crisis in Gaza must not be overshadowed by disruptions to global shipping.

India urged all parties to halt attacks on civilians, commercial vessels and seafarers, underlining the importance of diplomacy and international cooperation in restoring peace and stability across the Middle East.