Modi urges BRICS nations to create joint distress network for endangered seafarers

During the 18th BRICS summit at Bharat Mandapam, Prime Minister Narendra Modi called on member countries to establish a collective distress and rescue framework for merchant sailors, citing the loss of at least 15 Indian seafarers in recent conflicts—ten in West Asia and five in the Black Sea. Hours later, India’s Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways released a National Seafarer Emergency Support Network action plan, formalising a domestic structure developed since August under a "seafarer-first" policy.

The plan requires ship owners and recruitment agencies to obtain consent from Indian crew before transiting the Strait of Hormuz and introduces a digital grievance system, e-Navik, to handle welfare complaints. Kirti Vardhan Singh reported the fatalities in the Rajya Sabha, noting incidents such as the July 20 attacks on three vessels off Oman. Manoj Yadav of the Forward Seamen Union praised the proposal but warned that Russia and Iran, both BRICS members with stakes in the affected regions, must also support families of the victims. The initiative aims to connect maritime authorities across BRICS nations to deliver distress alerts, medical assistance, family notifications and evacuation services.