India has described the escalation in hostilitie s in the West Asia as “deeply worrying”, as it strongly condemned repeated attacks on civilian infrastructure, including Saudi airports, as well as on commercial shipping and Indian seafarers.
“The people of the Middle East need normalcy and lasting peace. Peace is not just the absence of war. It is imperative to strengthen stability and security for the people of the region. India is committed to their well-being that would lead to a more secure, stable and prosperous world.
“India has very high stakes in the safety, security and stability of the Middle East,” India’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Harish Parvathaneni, said on Thursday (October 15, 2026) at the UN Security Council debate on the Situation in the West Asia. All our actions will be derived from this approach,” he said. He said escalation in the region is “deeply worrying”, underlining New Delhi’s call for restraint and de-escalation in “what has developed into a principal challenge facing the international community today”.
“Attacks on commercial vessels, seafarers and civilian infrastructure must cease. “All attacks on commercial shipping and merchant mariners are legally and morally indefensible. Talking about the BRICS Leaders’ Summit hosted in New Delhi last month, the Ambassador recalled that Prime Minister Narendra Modi proposed establishing a ‘Seafarers Emergency Support Network’ which could connect maritime authorities and Embassies of the countries concerned, and facilitate distress alerts, medical assistance, communication with families, and support for evacuation, when needed.
“India stands in complete solidarity with the Government and people of Saudi Arabia in defense of their sovereignty,” Mr. Parvathaneni said. Freedom of navigation and the safe and unimpeded flow of maritime commerce through international waterways, in accordance with international law, must be upheld,” he said. “The safety and security of seafarers remains a priority for the Government of India, and these recurring attacks risk further aggravation of a very volatile situation,” he added. Several of these ships have Indian seafarers, and their safety and security is our direct responsibility,” the Indian Envoy said, as he thanked the Omani and UAE authorities for valuable support in ensuring the safety of Indian seafarers in these attacks. With nearly two million seafarers operating the world’s merchant fleet and maritime shipping accounting for four-fifths of global trade, Parvathaneni said the ‘Group of Friends’ is an inclusive, voluntary and action-oriented platform, aimed at deepening cooperation and fostering practical cooperation.
