‘Be extremely careful before accepting work on vessels’: MEA to Indians amid highly volatile situation in Black Sea | Today’s news
India on Sunday advised its citizens to carefully assess security conditions before accepting employment on commercial vessels operating in or transiting the Black Sea, as the region continues to see increased missile and drone attacks that have killed at least five Indian citizens since April.
In an advisory issued, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) wrote: “The security situation in and around the Black Sea and adjacent sea areas remains highly volatile due to ongoing conflict. Commercial vessels operating in or transiting these waters face significant security risks, including missile and drone attacks. Since April 2026, there has been an increase in the number of such incidents also involving commercial vessels5, resulting in tragic loss of life of merchant vessels5.”
He further noted that those who choose to do such work must be extremely careful and observe the following precautions:
1. Obtain necessary and complete information from employers or recruitment agencies and ship operators about the commercial vessel’s intended route, ports of call, security measures, insurance coverage and emergency response procedures.
2. He also advised the Indian nationals to ensure that the conditions of employment conform to applicable international maritime standards while making adequate arrangements for medical care, evacuation, repatriation and compensation in case of emergency.
3. Those who decide to accept employment on vessels sailing through the Black Sea must maintain regular contact with their family and inform them of their route.
4. Finally, the MEA also advised Indian nationals to be aware of the advisories issued by the Directorate General of Maritime Administration (DGMA), other relevant agencies of the Government of India, vessel operators and maritime authorities. They were also urged to follow the latest DGMA safety advisory issued by the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways on July 23, 2026.
This is a developing story. Further details were awaited.
