Jaishankar urges protection of Indian crew as New Delhi condemns deadly attack on MV Golden Leo.

India Raises Seafarer Safety Concerns with Russia Over Black Sea Incident.

India has reiterated its strong concern over the safety of Indian seafarers operating in the Black Sea following the deadly attack on the Guinea-Bissau-flagged merchant vessel MV Golden Leo, which claimed the lives of four Indian crew members. External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar raised the issue during a meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on the sidelines of the ASEAN meetings in Manila. The discussions also covered bilateral cooperation in trade, energy, connectivity, science and technology, as well as the ongoing Ukraine conflict and developments in the Gulf region. A day earlier, the Ministry of External Affairs summoned Russia’s Charge d’Affaires in New Delhi to register India’s strong protest and condemnation of the incident. Maritime experts have advised Indian seafarers to avoid vessels operating in conflict zones such as the Black Sea. The meeting also preceded President Vladimir Putin’s planned visit to India for the BRICS Summit in September.