Safety of Indian Sailors in West Asia Confirmed Amid Recent Tensions

Indian Sailors Remain Safe in West Asia

On Wednesday, Opesh Kumar Sharma, the Director of Shipping in the Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways, confirmed that all Indian sailors in the region are safe. He reported that there have been no incidents involving Indian-flagged vessels in the last 48 hours since the previous briefing. During an inter-ministerial briefing regarding recent developments in West Asia, Sharma mentioned that the ministry has facilitated the safe return of over 2,999 sailors, including 23 who returned from the Gulf region in the last two days. The ministry continues to coordinate with the Ministry of External Affairs, Indian embassies, and maritime stakeholders to ensure the welfare of sailors and uninterrupted maritime operations. He expressed satisfaction in stating that all Indian sailors are secure and that no incidents involving Indian-flagged ships have been recorded since the last update.

The control room established at the Directorate General of Shipping has handled 8,570 calls and over 18,732 emails. In the past 48 hours, there were 156 calls and 668 emails received. The ministry has assisted in the safe return of over 2,999 sailors from various locations in the Gulf through the Directorate of Shipping, including the 23 sailors who returned in the last two days. Sharma further noted that operations at Indian ports are continuing normally, with no reports of congestion. When asked about U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio's comments regarding the aggressive aspects of Operation 'Epic Fury' and the testing of a fragile ceasefire, Sharma responded that he could not comment on the U.S. or its impact on India, but assured that they are closely monitoring the situation in collaboration with the Ministry of External Affairs and are in contact with Indian embassies abroad.