For Indian seafarers, war zones grow ever deadlier as risks mount

MEA has advised seafarers to assess conflict risks before accepting assignments after the death of 4 Indians on a merchant ship, reports Archis Mohan

India on Sunday urged its citizens to carefully assess the security situation before accepting jobs on commercial vessels operating in conflict-affected waters, particularly in the Black Sea, after another merchant ship carrying four Indians came under attack at Ukraine’s Odessa port. While two of them are reported safe, information about the other two is still awaited, the mission in Kyiv said. 

The advisory comes amid mounting Indian casualties across two major conflict zones. Official estimates show that at least five Indian sailors have been killed in the Black Sea since April. Separately, 49 Indian nationals recruited into the Russian Armed Forces have been killed in the Russia-Ukraine war since February 2022, while six remain missing. 

In West Asia, at least 13 Indians, most of them sailors, have been killed and three remain missing since February 28, 2026. Since January, the government has issued at least six advisories to Indian seafarers and shipping stakeholders operating near Iran or elsewhere in West Asia. 

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has also repeatedly warned Indians against fraudulent recruitment agents who promise civilian jobs, such as construction or logistics work, but allegedly funnel recruits into combat roles in Russia. 

India, with about 323,000 seafarers, is among the world’s three largest suppliers of maritime personnel, alongside the Philippines and China. While there have been no reported Chinese or Filipino casualties in the West Asian conflict, Filipino sailors have been among those killed in attacks in the Black Sea. 

Besides India, the Bangladesh government told its National Assembly that at least 12 Bangladeshi nationals, most of them sailors, had been killed in the West Asian conflict by the first week of July.

 

Black Sea warning 

The MEA said attacks on merchant vessels in the Black Sea had intensified since April 2026, resulting in the deaths of five Indian seafarers. On Saturday, the MV AGN Ragnar was struck at the port of Odessa, one of Ukraine’s principal Black Sea ports and a frequent target of Russian missile and drone attacks since the war began in February 2022. 

The security situation in and around the Black Sea remained “highly volatile”, the ministry said, and warned that commercial vessels operating or transiting through the region faced significant risks, including missile and drone strikes. 

“Indian nationals intending to undertake employment on commercial vessels operating in or transiting the conflict-affected region are advised to carefully assess the prevailing security risks before accepting such assignments,” the MEA said. Those choosing to work in the region, it added, should obtain comprehensive information from employers, recruitment agencies and ship operators about intended routes, ports of call, security arrangements, insurance coverage and emergency response procedures. 

The MEA also advised prospective seafarers to ensure that employment contracts comply with international maritime standards and include adequate provisions for medical care, evacuation, repatriation and compensation in emergencies. It urged them to keep family members informed of their itineraries, maintain regular contact, and seek assistance from Indian diplomatic missions if required.

 

Indians in the Russia-Ukraine war 

On May 22, the Centre informed the Supreme Court that 217 Indian nationals had joined the Russian Armed Forces during the Ukraine conflict. According to it, 49 of them have been killed, six remain missing and 139 have been released from their contractual obligations. 

A BBC investigation published earlier this month estimated that at least 3,589 foreign nationals from more than 40 countries had been killed fighting on Russia’s side since its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Separate estimates suggest that roughly 16,000 foreign fighters are serving with Ukraine. 

According to the BBC’s data, the largest numbers of foreign fatalities on the Russian side as of July 10 were from North Korea (2,304), Uzbekistan (229), Tajikistan (199), Georgia (189) and Azerbaijan (108). Individual fighters from African countries, South Asia, Cuba and elsewhere have also been killed. Unlike most foreign recruits, however, North Korean troops were deployed under a bilateral defence agreement between Pyongyang and Moscow.