India summoned Ukrainian Ambassador Oleksandr Polishchuk after an attack on the commercial vessel MV Omorfi killed an Indian national. The Ministry of External Affairs conveyed serious concern over the incident and condemned attacks on merchant shipping in the strongest terms.
New Delhi asked the ambassador to transmit India's objections to the Ukrainian authorities. The ministry said the targeting of commercial vessels endangers civilian seafarers and has damaging consequences for maritime safety, freedom of navigation and international commerce.
The diplomatic protest came amid a series of attacks by Russian and Ukrainian forces that have killed five Indian seafarers. India's response placed civilian shipping and the protection of its nationals at the center of its engagement with both sides of the conflict.
A separate recent strike hit a merchant vessel at the Ukrainian port of Odesa with four Indian nationals aboard. Two crew members were confirmed safe, while information on the condition of the other two had not yet been received.
Ukraine responded by seeking direct dialogue between the two countries' foreign ministers. Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha wrote to his Indian counterpart, S. Jaishankar, expressed sympathy to the families of the dead seafarers and proposed a conversation on Black Sea security.
The Ukrainian embassy said Kyiv had repeatedly warned partners, including senior Indian officials, about growing risks to civilian navigation arising from Russian actions in the Black Sea. It argued that sustained international pressure on Moscow was the only durable route to restoring maritime security.
Kyiv also said it had informed partners about measures intended to prevent military cargo deliveries and disrupt logistical routes supporting Russia's war. At the same time, it stressed the need for timely preventive action by competent authorities to protect crews and civilian maritime traffic.
The exchange leaves India pressing Ukraine over a fatal incident while Ukraine seeks to shift the discussion toward the wider operational environment in the Black Sea. A proposed ministerial call would provide the next channel for addressing responsibility, warnings to shipping and protection of Indian seafarers.
