India Condemned All Acts Of Violence Against Merchant Shipping At UN Security Council

India's Permanent Representative to the United Nations (UN) Harish Parvathaneni expressed grave concern over the ongoing conflict in Iran and the Gulf region at a UN Security Council open debate on Middle East peace and mediation. India stressed the tremendous human and economic cost, saying all concerned must show restraint and protect the lives of civilians, and seek political solutions.

The address is at a critical time for New Delhi, amid a potent protest against U.S. Charge d'Affaires Jason Meeks. The protest was sparked by the tragic incident of an Indian crewman losing his life and another being missing during an attack on the commercial tanker ‘Settebello' by the U.S. Navy off the coast of Oman. This was after another U.S. military attack on an Indian sailor-laden ship, with the Palau flag, that tried to skirt Iranian ports.

India emphasised the need for the safety of its workers in the Gulf region, with almost 10 million citizens residing and working there. New Delhi also pointed out that its trade and energy supply chains were highly vulnerable to regional instability and that any further disruptions would be of serious concern to the Indian economy beyond the immediate humanitarian aspect.

India also raised concerns about broader regional crises, reiterating its demand for a sustained ceasefire, unhindered humanitarian access, and a long-term two-state solution. The ambassador said that India will release $2.5 million in the coming days as part of its annual commitment of $5 million to the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA). In expressing concern about the safety of blue helmets, including Indian troops deployed to the country, India condemned the attacks on the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) and called for a complete investigation and promised to provide medical assistance to the country in the near future.

In the concluding part of the address, India pointed to the current turmoil in the world to highlight the loss of faith in the United Nations. Ambassador Parvathaneni pointed out that the organisation's failure to address those crises is due to its "old architecture of the Security Council which is 80 years old. Furthermore, India wholeheartedly called for comprehensive reforms in the UN and also called for an increase in permanent and non-permanent membership to reflect the contemporary geopolitical landscape.