External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Friday spoke with his Iranian counterpart, Abbas Araghchi, expressing India's deep concern over the escalating hostilities in the region and urging that commercial shipping in Strait of Hormuz and seafarers not be targeted under any circumstances.
In a post on X, Jaishankar said India strongly condemns attacks on commercial vessels and seafarers by any party.
"Had a tele-conversation with FM @araghchi of Iran this evening. Conveyed our deep concerns at the ongoing hostilities in the region," Jaishankar said.
"Strongly urged that attacks on commercial shipping and seafarers be avoided under any circumstance. India condemns any such attack by any party," he added.
He added that he had urged all sides to refrain from targeting commercial shipping and reiterated India's position that such attacks are unacceptable.
Jaishankar also said Araghchi briefed him on Iran's assessment of the evolving situation and the ongoing diplomatic efforts. Reaffirming New Delhi's stance, he said India continues to support dialogue and diplomacy as the preferred path to resolving the crisis.
Indian casualties in ship attacks in Gulf
Since the outbreak of the conflict in West Asia in February, 16 Indian nationals, including 10 seafarers, have lost their lives in the region, while 75 others have been injured, according to the government.
The fatalities include one Indian in Saudi Arabia, two in Kuwait, eight in Oman, one in Iraq and four in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The injured comprise 32 people in the UAE, 24 in Oman, 13 in Kuwait, four in Qatar, one in Saudi Arabia and one in Israel.
The figures come amid growing concerns over the safety of Indian nationals working in the region, particularly seafarers operating in conflict-affected waters.
On Thursday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) to review the situation of seafarers serving on Indian and foreign-flagged vessels in conflict zones. During the meeting, he directed the concerned ministries to establish a dedicated mechanism to provide timely information, emergency assistance and counselling to seafarers and their families.
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