'Exercise utmost caution': India issues advisory for nationals taking up work on vessels in Black Sea

India's Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has issued a strong advisory urging its citizens to exercise extreme caution before accepting employment on commercial vessels operating in or transiting the Black Sea region. The advisory highlights the highly volatile security situation stemming from the ongoing conflict, which has led to a significant increase in missile and drone attacks.

Since April, these attacks have tragically claimed the lives of five Indian nationals. The MEA emphasized that commercial vessels in the region face considerable threats. The advisory specifically calls on Indian nationals planning to work on such vessels to "carefully assess the prevailing security risks before accepting such assignments."

For those who choose to take up employment in the conflict-affected area, the MEA has laid out a series of precautions. Seafarers are advised to gather comprehensive information from employers, recruitment agencies, and ship operators regarding the vessel's intended route, ports of call, security measures, insurance coverage, and emergency response protocols before joining.

The ongoing conflict has created a perilous environment for maritime operations in the Black Sea, prompting New Delhi to take proactive measures to safeguard its citizens engaged in seafaring professions.