Indian vessel attacked in Red Sea; FSUI calls for Navy protection of seafarers

The Forward Seamen’s Union of India (FSUI) urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to deploy the Indian Navy to protect Indian-flagged vessels and seafarers in the Red Sea, Black Sea, and Strait of Hormuz due to escalating regional conflicts. The union cited ongoing hostilities involving Iran, Israel, the United States, and the Russia-Ukraine war, which have turned commercial shipping routes into danger zones. On Wednesday, an Indian vessel was attacked while transiting the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait; all 13 Indian crew members were rescued by Yemeni authorities. The ministry of external affairs (MEA) condemned the attack, and union minister Sarbananda Sonowal directed agencies to ensure seafarer security. Yemen’s foreign ministry also condemned a Houthi attack on an Indian vessel and praised rescue efforts, calling for strengthening a multinational naval coalition to secure shipping routes.