India has lost 23 nationals, including 15 seafarers, in the West Asia conflict, while five Indians have been killed and two remain missing following attacks on commercial shipping in the Black Sea, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said. India also called for de-escalation and diplomatic efforts to restore peace and maritime safety.
India has lost 23 nationals in the ongoing conflict in West Asia, including 15 Indian seafarers, while five Indian nationals have been killed in attacks on commercial shipping in the Black Sea region and two others remain missing, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said on Tuesday.
Addressing queries during the MEA’s bi-weekly press briefing, Jaiswal shared the figures on Indian casualties in the two regions, highlighting the impact of the ongoing conflict in West Asia and attacks targeting commercial shipping in the Black Sea.
#Watch: MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said 23 Indian nationals have been killed so far in the #WestAsiaConflict, including 15 Indian seafarers.
@MEAIndia https://t.co/S4GM6BcS94
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“We have lost 23 Indian nationals in the conflict in West Asia, out of which 15 were Indian seafarers,” Jaiswal said.
Responding to a question about the number of Indian nationals killed in attacks on commercial shipping in the Black Sea region, the MEA spokesperson confirmed that five Indians had lost their lives, while two others continued to remain missing.
“There was also a question earlier about how many Indian nationals have been lost in attacks on commercial shipping in the Black Sea region. There, we have lost five Indian nationals, and 2 continue to be missing,” he added.
His remarks come as India on Tuesday also reiterated its call for “dialogue and diplomacy” amid the ongoing tensions in West Asia to restore peace and the safety of maritime navigation after an Indian seafarer was killed when a commercial vessel was attacked off the coast of Oman.
Jaiswal assured the timely repatriation of the 13 Indian nationals who were rescued from the Indian-flagged MSV AL JUSUFI near Limah, Oman.
The deceased seafarer was identified as Gandhar Nahim Ajij from Gujarat.
Expressing gratitude towards the Omani authorities for their swift action following the incident, Jaiswal called for an immediate de-escalation of tensions and the conclusion of ongoing negotiations for a diplomatic solution in West Asia.