India at UNSC warns against coercion threatening freedom of navigation

India urged the UN Security Council to protect freedom of navigation and secure sea lanes. It warned that maritime disruptions can hit supplies, seafarers and vulnerable economies far beyond conflict zones.

In Short

• Disruptions at chokepoints quickly raise freight, insurance and shipping diversion costs
• Instability in sea lanes can worsen global energy and food supplies
• India sought practical plans for commercial and humanitarian cargo during crises

India has told a United Nations Security Council meeting that navigational rights must not be subject to coercion, threats, unlawful restrictions or arbitrary interference, warning that maritime insecurity has effects far beyond immediate risks. Speaking at an Arria-Formula meeting on safe seas and freedom of navigation, India said secure maritime routes are essential for international peace, security and global prosperity.

India also said recent disruptions to major shipping routes, including at the Strait of Hormuz amid the ongoing US-Israel conflict against Iran, have shown how quickly maritime instability can affect energy and food security. It called for practical arrangements to ensure the continued movement of essential commercial and humanitarian supplies during crises.

India's Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Harish Parvathaneni, said, "Recent disruptions to significant global maritime routes have underpinned a fundamental reality: the security of maritime routes are vital to international peace, security and global prosperity." He added, "It has implications across regions of the globe, particularly in terms of energy and food security."

Addressing the UNSC meeting titled 'Safe Seas, Shared Security: Protecting Freedom of Navigation in an Evolving Security Environment', Parvathaneni said, "Disruptions at one chokepoint can increase pressure on alternative routes, raise freight and insurance costs, disrupt energy and food supplies and adversely affect developing countries." He said, "The international community must therefore move beyond responding to individual incidents by crafting practical arrangements to facilitate the continued movement of essential commercial and humanitarian supplies during crises." He added, "The objective should not merely be to restore navigation after a crisis, but to build a maritime system capable of withstanding shocks before they cascade into wider economic and humanitarian crises."

India voiced strong support for a free, open, secure and rules-based maritime domain. Parvathaneni said, "Rights and freedoms of navigation and overflight should be consistent with international law, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, and must be fully respected. Commercial vessels must not become targets of geopolitical tensions." He also said, "Equally vital are coordinated evacuation frameworks for seafarers in conflict zones, with clear responsibilities among States and international organisations."

With seafarers coming under direct attack in the current conflict and India losing several maritime crew, Parvathaneni said seafarers must remain at the centre of the international community's collective efforts. "Their safety, timely evacuation, medical assistance, crew changes and repatriation require effective contingency planning and international cooperation. Their Safety and Security require much greater attention in the present circumstances," he said, while calling on countries with a major stake in shipping safety and seafarer security to work together.

He also said India recognises the growing importance of addressing emerging threats such as attacks involving unmanned systems, cyber risks and interference with navigation and communications, and stressed that international cooperation, capacity-building and the responsible use of technology would be critical. Overall, India told the UNSC that protecting freedom of navigation, safeguarding seafarers and preparing maritime systems to withstand shocks must remain central to the global response.

With PTI Inputs

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