India on Wednesday, 7 October strongly condemned a series of attacks on commercial vessels in the Black Sea region, calling for an immediate end to the targeting of maritime shipping and urging all parties to pursue dialogue and diplomacy. The statement came as details emerged of four separate vessels coming under attack, with dozens of Indian nationals among those affected.

India's Official Condemnation

Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, addressing a bi-weekly media briefing in New Delhi, said the attacks posed a grave threat to commercial shipping and endangered the lives of the seafaring community. He confirmed that Indian nationals were aboard multiple targeted vessels and that efforts were under way to provide them consular assistance.

'We have seen a string of attacks targeting commercial vessels in the Black Sea region in the last one or two days. We condemn such attacks that threaten commercial shipping and endanger lives of our seafaring community,' Jaiswal said.

Four Vessels Attacked: What We Know

The first vessel, MV Royad Mammadov, came under attack while navigating the Black Sea. Three Indian nationals were aboard — all are safe, though one sustained injuries and is receiving medical treatment. Romanian authorities assisted in their rescue, and the Indian Embassy in Romania confirmed that a representative visited the three nationals on Wednesday.

The second vessel, Togo-flagged Alfa Watan, was attacked on Tuesday and the fate of its crew remains unknown, according to Jaiswal. The third vessel, Palau-flagged MV Able, came under a drone attack; all 18 crew members, including seven Indian nationals, were rescued. One Indian national was injured and is receiving medical care. Bulgarian authorities were credited with timely assistance in that rescue.

The fourth vessel, Liberian-flagged oil tanker Aframax Rio, carried an entirely Indian crew. All 23 Indian nationals aboard were rescued following the attack on the ship.

Embassy Assistance on the Ground

The Indian Embassy in Romania posted on X in the early hours of Wednesday that its representative had visited the three Indian nationals rescued from MV Royad Mammadov. Two of the three are staying at a hotel; the third is receiving treatment at the County Hospital in Constanța. All three are reported to be in stable condition.

The Embassy said it had arranged essential items — including mobile phones — through the shipping company's local agent, and organised Indian food through a local restaurant. The Mission in Bulgaria is similarly providing all possible assistance to seafarers from the MV Able.

India's Broader Call for Peace

Jaiswal reiterated India's longstanding position on the conflict, urging dialogue and diplomacy to de-escalate tensions and enable an early return of peace to the region. 'The targeting of commercial shipping, seafarers in the region must end, and free and unimpeded navigation through the international waterways must be restored at the earliest,' he said.

This is not the first time Indian nationals have been caught in the crossfire of the Black Sea conflict. The latest incidents underscore a growing risk for the large Indian seafaring workforce — estimated at over 2 lakh mariners — which operates globally on commercial shipping routes increasingly threatened by geopolitical tensions.

As the situation in the Black Sea remains volatile, the MEA and Indian missions in the region are expected to continue monitoring developments and providing consular support to affected nationals.