India has urged the United Nations Security Council to strengthen global arrangements for maritime security, protect freedom of navigation and ensure that commercial vessels do not become targets of geopolitical tensions.
Speaking at a UN Security Council Arria-Formula meeting on “Safe Seas, Shared Security: Protecting Freedom of Navigation in an Evolving Security Environment”, India's Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Harish Parvathaneni, said secure maritime routes are vital for international peace, security and global prosperity.
Editorial Insight
Key Highlights
Important points readers should notice.
Issue/Event: India calls for stronger maritime security and freedom of navigation
Location: United Nations / New York
Authority/Organisation: Government of India / Permanent Mission of India to the UN
Action Taken: India urged stronger international coordination for safe sea lanes and seafarer protection
Impact: Focus placed on uninterrupted trade, energy security and protection of maritime workers
India said recent disruptions along major maritime routes have demonstrated how instability at a single strategic chokepoint can create wider consequences. According to India's statement, disruption can increase pressure on alternative routes, raise freight and insurance costs and affect energy and food supplies, with developing countries particularly vulnerable to such shocks.
India stressed that rights and freedoms of navigation and overflight must remain consistent with international law, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. New Delhi also called for navigational rights to remain free from coercion, threats, unlawful restrictions and arbitrary interference.
A key part of India's intervention focused on seafarers, who have increasingly faced risks in conflict-affected maritime zones. India called for coordinated evacuation frameworks for seafarers in conflict areas, with clear responsibilities for states and international organisations.
Editorial Analysis
Why This Matters
Disruptions to major sea routes can affect shipping costs, energy supplies, food security and international trade. For India, the issue also has a direct connection to the safety of its large maritime workforce.
The Indian delegation said the safety, timely evacuation, medical assistance, crew changes and repatriation of seafarers require effective contingency planning and international cooperation.
India also highlighted emerging maritime threats, including attacks involving unmanned systems, cyber risks and interference with navigation and communications. It called for greater international cooperation, capacity-building and responsible use of technology to address these challenges.
The discussion comes amid heightened security concerns around major shipping routes in West Asia, including the Strait of Hormuz. India has separately been monitoring the safety of its seafarers and vessels operating in the Gulf region through enhanced maritime surveillance and coordination mechanisms.
India said the international response should go beyond restoring navigation after a crisis and focus on building a maritime system capable of absorbing future disruptions before they develop into wider economic and humanitarian crises.
