India on Thursday voiced strong opposition to the attacks on merchant shipping and maritime navigation amid the widening conflict in West Asia, warning that disruptions to sea lanes and commercial vessels have already claimed Indian lives and pose serious risks to global trade, energy supplies and established supply chains.
Addressing an open debate of the UN Security Council on “Maintenance of International Peace and Security: Advancing Political Solutions in the Middle East: Mediation and Dialogue for Lasting Peace”, India’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Harish Parvathaneni, said New Delhi remained firmly opposed to military targeting of commercial shipping and called for protecting freedom of navigation and commerce.
“Many Indian nationals have lost their lives or are missing as a result of attacks against countries of the region and against merchant vessels and sea lanes of communication,” he said, noting that Indians constitute a significant part of the global maritime workforce.
The envoy said the ongoing conflicts in the Middle East had caused immense humanitarian suffering and led to impediments to freedom of navigation, triggering major disruptions in global commerce, supply chains and energy flows.
Expressing concern over the conflict involving Iran and the Gulf region, Parvathaneni said the intensification and spread of hostilities had generated “great anxiety” for India, which has nearly 10 million citizens living and working in the Gulf. He said ensuring their safety remained New Delhi’s foremost priority.
“Our trade and energy supply chains are dependent on stability in the region and any major disruption has serious consequences for the Indian economy,” he said, while reiterating India’s call for restraint, dialogue and diplomacy.
On Yemen, India condemned attacks on maritime navigation and stressed that safeguarding the Bab al-Mandab Strait and the southern Red Sea was a shared international responsibility. It also opposed attempts to undermine stability in the Gulf of Aden, the Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean.
Turning to Gaza, India called for a sustained ceasefire, unhindered humanitarian access and a credible path towards a negotiated two-state solution leading to the establishment of a sovereign, independent and viable Palestinian state living side by side with Israel in peace and security.
Parvathaneni said India would soon release the first tranche of its annual contribution of $5 million to the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), amounting to $2.5 million. He also highlighted India’s development projects in Palestine worth $170 million.
On Lebanon, India reaffirmed support for the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, called for implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701 and stressed the need to ensure the safety of UN peacekeepers, including Indian troops serving with the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL). He announced that India would send medical assistance to Lebanon.
Calling for reform of the UN Security Council, the Indian envoy said questions over the legitimacy, credibility and effectiveness of the world body stemmed largely from the “eight-decade-old outdated architecture” of the Council. He argued that expansion in both permanent and non-permanent categories in line with contemporary geopolitical realities was essential to keep the UNSC fit for purpose.
“People across the Middle East deserve sustained peace and normalcy,” Parvathaneni said, adding that India stood ready to contribute to efforts aimed at securing peace and prosperity in the region and beyond.
