# Jaishankar at UN: Attacks on civilian shipping indefensible

2026-09-25T15:51:52+00:00 | World & Diplomacy | Indian Opinion Desk

Corroboration: 3 independent outlets

External affairs minister S Jaishankar on Friday said attacks on commercial ships and seafarers in the Gulf, Red Sea and Black Sea are "simply indefensible" and urged the international community to deter such incidents. Speaking at the UN General Assembly, he said India and Liberia launched a 'Group of Friends on Safety and Security of Shipping and Seafarers' to highlight the issue. Jaishankar cited recent attacks including the MV Cape Dow in the Gulf of Oman, which killed an Indian sailor, and the MV Omorfi and MV Golden Leo in the Black Sea, which killed five Indian seafarers. He said these are no longer exceptional occurrences. The Hindu reports that Jaishankar also sharply responded to a Pakistani journalist's question on terrorism, calling Pakistan a "terrorist country".

## Indian Opinion Analysis

Hindustan Times and The Hindu both provide straight reporting of Jaishankar's UN statement, with no editorial slant. ANI's coverage is brief and factual. The Hindu adds a separate incident where Jaishankar rebuked a Pakistani journalist, framing it as a sharp response. Across sources, the coverage uniformly presents India's call for maritime security without critical or pro-government framing. The key development to watch is whether the new Group of Friends gains broader international backing to enforce shipping safety protocols. This is 85 words.

## Coverage

- hindustantimes.com (neutral report) <https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/eam-s-jaishankar-strong-message-at-united-nations-general-assembly-civilian-shipping-attack-on-indians-liberia-gulf-101790344868920.html>
  Straight news report, no editorial slant
- thehindu.com (neutral report) <https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/attacks-on-commercial-shipping-in-gulf-red-sea-simply-indefensible-jaishankar/article71509676.ece>
  Straight news report, adds separate incident
- aninews.in (neutral report) <https://www.aninews.in/news/world/us/in-face-of-8220unacceptable-attacks8221-on-shipping-india-and-liberia-launch-group-to-advocate-maritime-safety20260925225939>
  Brief factual report, no analysis

Tags: Black Sea, Gulf of Oman, Liberia, Red Sea, S Jaishankar, United Nations General Assembly
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