Jaishankar raises Indian seafarers’ safety with Sergey Lavrov

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar raised India's concerns over the safety of Indian seafarers in the Black Sea region during talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Manila, following the killing of four Indian crew members in a Russian attack near Ukraine

New Delhi: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Wednesday conveyed to his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov India’s concerns over the safety of seafarers in the Black Sea region against the backdrop of the killing of four Indian crew members of a merchant vessel off the coast of Ukraine.

The two ministers, during their talks in Manila on the sidelines of meetings related to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), also discussed issues relating to trade, investment and energy security.

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The Jaishankar-Lavrov talks came a day after India summoned the Russian Charge d’Affaires (CDA) and conveyed to him its “grave concerns” and “unequivocal condemnation” of the Russian attack on the Guinea-Bissau-flagged merchant vessel on Sunday that killed 10 people, including four Indian crew members.

Vladimir Ladanov, the Russian CDA, was summoned to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), where he was told that such attacks are “unacceptable” and must be avoided.

It was the first instance of the death of Indian seafarers in the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

“An in-depth review of our bilateral relations with FM Sergey Lavrov of Russia,” Jaishankar said on social media.

“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,” he said.

The MEA on Tuesday voiced its “grave concerns” over the attack on the commercial vessel MV Golden Leo and emphasised that such actions undermine the safety, security and stability of international maritime commerce.

“The Russian Charge d’Affaires was requested to convey India’s strong concerns to his authorities that the targeting of commercial shipping and the resulting loss of innocent civilian lives are unacceptable and must be avoided,” it said.

Jaishankar said the two sides also exchanged views on the Ukraine conflict and the situation in West Asia.

India has been pushing for resolving the conflict in Ukraine through dialogue and diplomacy.