ATTACKS ON SHIPS AND SEAFARERS ARE INDEFENSIBLE AND MUST STOP NOW” — India and Liberia Condemn Fresh Wave of Attacks on Commercial Vessels in Gulf and Black Sea, Demand Immediate Ceasefire to Protect Global Trade

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ATTACKS ON SHIPS AND SEAFARERS ARE INDEFENSIBLE AND MUST STOP NOW” — India and Liberia Condemn Fresh Wave of Attacks on Commercial Vessels in Gulf and Black Sea, Demand Immediate Ceasefire to Protect Global Trade

BY: Rufus Divine Brooks Jr.

MONROVIA / NEW DELHI, — Liberia and India, as co-chairs of the Group of Friends on Safety & Security of Shipping & Seafarers (GoF on S4), have strongly condemned what they described as a string of unacceptable attacks on commercial ships and seafarers in the Gulf and the Black Sea in recent days.

In a joint statement issued Thursday, the two nations said the attacks which disrupt maritime trade and cost innocent lives are “simply indefensible.”

“We call for an immediate cessation of such attacks in the interest of peace and stability in the region,” the statement said.

The GoF on S4 extended deepest condolences to families of seafarers killed and wished a speedy recovery for the injured.

India and Liberia launched the Group of Friends on Safety & Security of Shipping & Seafarers on September 25, 2026, to promote coordination among member states to protect seafarers and secure vital shipping lanes.

The group said it now stands ready to support greater international coordination to discourage recurrence of such attacks and safeguard the rights of seafarers, who remain at the frontline of global commerce.

Liberia is the world’s largest flag state by registry, while India is one of the largest suppliers of seafarers globally — making both nations central stakeholders in maritime safety.