Next to Trump at G7, PM Modi Raises Urgent Maritime Safety Concerns

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday raised concerns over maritime security at the G7 Summit, calling for stronger global cooperation to ensure safe sea lanes and the protection of seafarers amid escalating tensions in key international shipping corridors, including the Strait of Hormuz. Addressing the session titled “Forging New Partnerships and Rebuilding International Solidarity,” PM Modi, who was seated beside US President Donald Trump, said disruptions in maritime trade routes were having widespread economic and humanitarian consequences.

He stressed that global shipping lanes must remain secure to sustain international trade and stability. The Prime Minister noted that the ongoing crisis in the Strait of Hormuz has affected economies across the world and resulted in the loss of several civilian lives, including Indian nationals. His remarks come amid heightened global concern over repeated attacks on commercial shipping in the region and their impact on energy supplies and global supply chains.

“It is our responsibility to protect the seafarers who connect all nations through global maritime trade. We must ensure sea routes remain safe, and that seafarers can carry out their work without fear,” Modi said, according to the official statement released by the Prime Minister’s Office. He reiterated that maritime workers form the backbone of global trade and must be safeguarded through collective international action. The remarks were made in the backdrop of continued instability in West Asia and rising tensions linked to the US-Iran conflict, which has disrupted shipping activity in critical waterways.

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Reports indicate that multiple attacks on commercial vessels have heightened security risks in the region, leading to casualties among international crew members, including Indian seafarers. According to earlier reports, three Indian seafarers were killed in an attack on an oil tanker near the Strait of Hormuz last week. The vessel, a Palau-flagged tanker identified as MT Settebello, reportedly had 24 Indian sailors on board at the time of the incident. The escalation has drawn international attention to the vulnerability of civilian maritime personnel operating in conflict zones.

The United Nations maritime agency has confirmed that seafarer fatalities have increased since the crisis began, with multiple attacks recorded on commercial shipping routes in and around the Strait of Hormuz. The situation has raised broader concerns about global energy security, inflationary pressures, and disruptions to supply chains. In his address, PM Modi also called for a shift in global partnerships away from a donor-recipient framework toward relationships built on mutual trust and equality. He emphasised that the world is not constrained by a lack of resources but by a deficit of trust, urging leaders to strengthen cooperation in addressing shared global challenges.

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