India summons Ukraine ambassador after Black Sea ship attack kills Indian sailor

India summoned Ukrainian Ambassador Oleksandr Polishchuk in New Delhi on Monday after an attack on a commercial vessel in the Black Sea killed an Indian national.

India’s foreign ministry said the July 18 attack struck the MV Omforfi while it was travelling through the Black Sea. Three Indian nationals were on board, and one was killed.

The ministry said it expressed “serious concern” and condemned attacks on commercial shipping. Polishchuk was asked to tell Kyiv that actions putting civilian seafarers at risk were unacceptable and must be avoided.

New Delhi had also summoned Russia’s envoy the previous week over an attack on a cargo ship leaving Ukraine’s port of Odesa that killed four Indian nationals, the ministry said.

India’s shipping ministry said the country had more than 320,000 active seafarers in 2025, making it one of the world’s largest suppliers of workers to merchant shipping.

New Delhi has issued security warnings for locally flagged vessels and ships employing Indian seafarers travelling into the Black Sea following recent attacks.

India’s foreign ministry also said 14 Indian seafarers had been killed in attacks on ships during the Middle East war.