Modi Proposes Seafarers' Emergency Support Network at BRICS Summit
At the BRICS Leaders' Summit, PM Modi proposed a Seafarers' Emergency Support Network to protect crew, citing risks to Indian seafarers in conflict zones.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has proposed the creation of a 'Seafarers' Emergency Support Network' to provide timely assistance and safeguard personnel working at sea, putting the idea forward during his opening remarks at the BRICS Leaders' Summit on Saturday.
Modi framed the proposal around the link between maritime security and trade, stating that global commerce can advance only when sea lanes are secure, supply routes stay open and seafarers are safe. He noted that those who crew commercial vessels contribute substantially to world trade but frequently lack adequate support when difficulties arise.
Under the proposed arrangement, maritime authorities and diplomatic missions of the countries concerned would be connected so they can coordinate assistance. The network, as described by the Prime Minister, would cover distress alerts, medical help, communication with families and evacuation support.
Modi also tied the maritime initiative to a broader appeal for BRICS to convert its consensus into tangible results, as the grouping marked two decades since its formation. He described India's chairship as being guided by a people-centric and humanity-first approach.
The safety of Indian seafarers has become a recurring theme in New Delhi's recent diplomatic engagements. India supplies more than 12% of the world's trained seafarers, and thousands of Indian households depend on those serving aboard commercial ships. The country currently has over three lakh active seafarers.
Attacks in West Asia and the Black Sea have placed Indian crew members at risk, with official figures recording 15 Indian seafarers killed and two still missing. The Directorate General of Shipping has instructed ship managers and owners not to deploy Indian crew through the high-risk Strait of Hormuz, and a Directorate of Maritime Administration report puts the number of Indian seafarers remaining in the Persian Gulf at 173.
The welfare of Indian seafarers and the principle of freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz were also taken up during Modi's bilateral meeting with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian in New Delhi a day before the summit.