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External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Wednesday reiterated India's "strong concern" over the safety of Indian seafarers, after an attack on commercial vessel MV Golden Leo resulted in the death of four Indian nationals, during his talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Manila, as the two leaders reviewed bilateral ties and discussed key regional and global developments.
Sharing details of the meeting, Jaishankar said in a post on X, "An in-depth review of our bilateral relations with FM Sergey Lavrov of Russia. Reiterated our strong concern regarding the safety of Indian seafarers in the region." The External Affairs Minister said the discussions covered various aspects of the India-Russia partnership, including trade and investment, energy and connectivity, science and technology, and mobility. "Discussed various aspects of our partnership, including trade & investment, energy & connectivity, science & technology, and mobility. Also exchanged views on the Ukraine conflict and the Gulf situation," Jaishankar added. The Russian Foreign Ministry also confirmed the meeting between the two leaders in a post on X, stating, "Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and External Affairs Minister of India Dr. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar hold talks in Manila." The meeting took place on the sidelines of the ASEAN-related Foreign Ministers' meetings in Manila, where Jaishankar is participating in multilateral engagements, including the ASEAN-India Foreign Ministers' Meeting, East Asia Summit (EAS) and ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) meetings. The meeting comes a day after the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) summoned Russian Charge d'Affaires Vladimir Ladanov over the attack on commercial vessel MV Golden Leo, which resulted in the death of four Indian nationals, and conveyed India's "grave concerns and unequivocal condemnation" of the incident. In a statement, the MEA said that the Russian diplomat was summoned to the ministry and was informed that attacks targeting commercial shipping undermine the safety, security and stability of international maritime commerce. "Today, the Russian Charge d'Affaires, Mr. Vladimir Ladanov, was summoned to the Ministry of External Affairs. The Ministry conveyed India's grave concerns and unequivocal condemnation of the attack on the commercial vessel MV Golden Leo on 19 July 2026, which resulted in the tragic loss of four Indian lives, emphasizing that such attacks undermine the safety, security, and stability of international maritime commerce," the MEA in its statement. The ministry said the Russian Charge d'Affaires was asked to convey India's concerns to Moscow, stressing that attacks on commercial shipping and the loss of innocent civilian lives are unacceptable. The MEA's statement came after four Indian nationals were killed in an attack on the MV Golden Leo while the vessel was departing the port of Odesa in Ukraine on Sunday evening. One other Indian crew member was reported to be critically injured. According to the MEA, the vessel had 17 crew members on board at the time of the incident, including five Indian nationals. The Ukrainian Navy had accused Russia of carrying out a missile attack on the civilian vessel, which was carrying grain cargo and flying the flag of Guinea-Bissau. According to the Ukrainian Navy, the vessel was struck by three Kh-59/Kh-69 cruise missiles while moving out of the combat zone. The Ukrainian Navy said the strike hit the starboard side of the ship's superstructure, causing a fire onboard. It stated that rescue operations were launched immediately by naval units and maritime search and rescue services. The MEA has reiterated that the safety of civilian shipping and freedom of navigation must be protected in accordance with international norms. (ANI)
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