PM Modi Raises Concern Over Indian Sailors’ Deaths at G7 Summit

Evian: Addressing G7 leaders, including US President Donald Trump sitting next to him, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday expressed concern over the tragic deaths of Indian sailors in a recent US military strike.

Emphasizing that instability in the Strait of Hormuz has serious human and economic costs, the Prime Minister strongly advocated the protection of international maritime trade routes.

Prime Minister Modi said, “We welcome the progress made in peace efforts in West Asia. This conflict has caused loss of life and property in our friendly countries in the region. Disruptions in maritime trade through the Strait of Hormuz have negatively affected the global economy.” he said.

Underlining India’s commitment to the global maritime community, he added: “A large number of Indian civilians have also lost their lives. The safety of seafarers who connect countries through global maritime trade is our responsibility.”

“We must ensure that sea lanes remain safe and seafarers can go about their business without fear,” he said while speaking at a high-level session on “Forming New Partnerships and Rebuilding International Solidarity” in Evian, France.

The prime minister’s critical intervention took place in the presence of leaders of G7 countries, amid West Asian tensions that have endangered vital shipping lanes that carry the bulk of global energy and commercial cargo.

The Strait of Hormuz is a crucial global maritime chokepoint connecting the Persian Gulf to international waters.

The statement follows a recent maritime incident in the Gulf of Oman in which three Indian nationals lost their lives after US forces targeted the Palau-flagged oil tanker Settebello.

The ship, which operated with a crew of 28 including 24 Indians, two Pakistanis, a Ukrainian and a Russian, was stopped and shot by the US military for allegedly violating the US blockade while transporting oil from Iran.

Settebello is one of three merchant ships with Indian crew caught up in regional maritime incidents recently.