At the 81st UN General Assembly, India and Liberia established a "group
GS2Polity · Governance · IR· India's bilateral relations· Prelims + Mains·
Maritime security and seafarer safety: a key GS2 International Relations and Blue Economy topic.
Why in news
India and Liberia established a 'group of friends' at the 81st UN General Assembly to address maritime security and seafarer safety amid rising attacks in regions like the Red Sea and Gulf.
Background
India and Liberia co-chaired the inaugural meeting of the 'Group of Friends on Safety and Security of Shipping and Seafarers' at UNGA 81. India is identified as a major source of seafarers, while Liberia is the world's largest shipping registry.
Facts for Prelims
- BodyGroup of Friends on Safety and Security of Shipping and Seafarers: A maritime initiative launched by India and Liberia at UNGA 81
- FactLiberia is the largest shipping registry globally
- FactIndia is a major source of seafarers for both Indian-flagged and foreign-flagged vessels
- PlaceKey maritime regions identified as high-risk: Strait of Hormuz, Gulf of Oman, Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, Bab-el-Mandeb, Black Sea, and Somalia
Prelims practice question
With reference to the maritime security initiative launched at UNGA 81, consider the following statements:
- Liberia is identified as the world's smallest shipping registry.
- India is a major source of seafarers for both Indian-flagged and foreign-flagged vessels.
- India and Liberia co-chaired the inaugural meeting of the Group of Friends on Safety and Security of Shipping and Seafarers.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- (a)2 only
- (b)1 and 2 only
- (c)2 and 3 only
- (d)1, 2 and 3
Show answer
Answer: (c) 2 and 3 only — Statements 2 and 3 are correct. Statement 1 is incorrect: Liberia is the world's largest shipping registry.
For Mains
Q. Discuss the significance of maritime security in ensuring global trade stability and the role of multilateral cooperation in protecting seafarers from non-state and state-sponsored threats.
Dimensions to cover in your answer
- Maritime security: Vulnerability of global supply chains to disruptions in chokepoints like the Bab-el-Mandeb and Strait of Hormuz
- Diplomatic cooperation: Leveraging India's human capital (seafarers) and Liberia's regulatory status (shipping registry) for maritime safety
- Security-Trade nexus: Balancing the freedom of navigation with the necessity of protecting merchant shipping from kinetic attacks
Keywords: Maritime Security · Freedom of Navigation · Global Supply Chain · Seafarer Safety · Multilateralism · Blue Economy
More International Relations notes
- Global Alliance formed to tackle 18.6 million annual diabetic foot cases in Bengaluru · 2 October 2026
- Putin tells Valdai Modi offers "very good ideas" for Ukraine conflict settlement · 2 October 2026
- Maninder Sidhu and Piyush Goyal aim to scale Canada and India bilateral trade · 2 October 2026
- Netherlands Minister Silvio Erkens visits Bengaluru to explore agricultural collaboration with 18 businesses · 1 October 2026
- The Kerala High Court ruled that a Pakistani national married to an Indian citizen · 1 October 2026
- Piyush Goyal meets Jamieson Greer to discuss interim trade agreement amid US tariff changes · 1 October 2026
Something wrong, or something missing?
Spotted a mistake in a note, or want a topic, format or PDF that would help your preparation? Write to us. We read every mail and fix errors fast.
This note is generated automatically from SatyaDheesh's news feed and mapped to the UPSC CSE syllabus. Check facts against the original report or PIB before using them in an answer.