India has expressed deep concern over the renewed escalation of hostilities in West Asia, strongly condemning recent attacks on commercial vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz and calling for an immediate reduction in tensions to safeguard maritime trade, freedom of navigation and regional stability.
Speaking at the United Nations Security Council’s open debate on the Middle East, India’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Parvathaneni Harish, said the return of violence after a brief lull was deeply worrying and stressed that dialogue and diplomacy remain the only sustainable path to peace.
India condemned the attacks on commercial vessels GFS Galaxy, MT Al Bahiyah and MT Mombasa during their transit through the Strait of Hormuz earlier this month. The incidents resulted in casualties among Indian nationals, with one Indian seafarer killed, several others injured and another reported missing.
Harish reiterated that India strongly opposes attacks targeting seafarers and merchant shipping, emphasizing that freedom of navigation through international waterways must be protected in accordance with international law.
He called for an immediate end to attacks on civilian infrastructure and commercial vessels and urged the restoration of safe and uninterrupted maritime commerce through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical energy and shipping corridors.
The remarks come amid renewed regional tensions that have disrupted shipping activity in the Gulf. According to the United Nations, vessel movements through the Strait of Hormuz declined significantly after Iran announced the closure of the strategic waterway following attacks on commercial shipping earlier this month.
Highlighting India’s strategic interests in the region, Harish said West Asia remains crucial to India’s trade, energy security and overseas community. India maintains annual bilateral trade of around USD 180 billion with the region, has cumulative foreign direct investment exceeding USD 31 billion, and receives more than USD 52 billion in annual remittances from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. Nearly 10 million Indians live and work across the Gulf region.
During his address, Harish also switched to Arabic to underscore the worsening humanitarian situation in Gaza, saying that concerns over maritime security should not overshadow the suffering of Palestinian civilians.
He reaffirmed India’s continued humanitarian support to Palestine, noting that New Delhi has extended nearly USD 175 million in development and humanitarian assistance, including contributions to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East. India has also announced plans to establish a speciality hospital, an artificial limb fitment centre and a vocational training institute in Palestine.
Reiterating India’s long-standing position, Harish said that a sovereign, independent and viable Palestinian state living peacefully alongside Israel remains essential for achieving lasting peace in the region.
On Yemen, India reaffirmed its support for the country’s unity and territorial integrity while condemning Houthi attacks on merchant shipping in the Bab al-Mandab Strait and the southern Red Sea.
India also reiterated its support for the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon, condemning attacks on peacekeepers and stressing that they must never become targets during conflict. It further called on the international community to continue supporting the Lebanese Armed Forces to facilitate any future transition beyond the UN peacekeeping mission.
