India flags safety of seafarers in Black Sea with Russia

New Delhi: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Wednesday reiterated India's "strong concern" over the safety of Indian seafarers in the Black Sea region, a day after New Delhi summoned the Russian Charge d'Affaires to protest the deaths of four Indian crew members following the attack on the Guinea-Bissau-flagged merchant vessel MV Golden Leo off the coast of Ukraine.

Following their meeting in Manila on the sidelines of the ASEAN meeting, Jaishankar said the two ministers conducted "an in-depth review" of bilateral ties.

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"Reiterated our strong concern regarding the safety of Indian seafarers in the region. Discussed various aspects of our partnership, including trade and investment, energy and connectivity, science and technology, and mobility. Also exchanged views on the Ukraine conflict and the Gulf situation," the EAM said.

On Tuesday, the MEA summoned Russian Charge d'Affaires Vladimir Ladanov over the attack on the MV Golden Leo and conveyed India's "grave concerns and unequivocal condemnation" of the incident. Russian officials told ET that Moscow is engaged with New Delhi over the incident and is holding discussions on the matter. Experts on maritime affairs told ET that Indian seafarers should avoid joining ships operating in the Black Sea region, much like the Strait of Hormuz, given the conflict situation.

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The Jaishankar-Lavrov meeting came ahead of President Vladimir Putin's visit to India for the BRICS summit on September 12-13.

The Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership has gained strong economic momentum in recent years, with a growing focus on joint projects. New areas, including rare earths and high technology, are also on the agenda. Cooperation in the Arctic is also being strengthened.