<p data-path-to-node="5" style="font-family: &quot;Google Sans Text&quot;, sans-serif !important; line-height: 1.15 !important;">Formalizing its diplomatic stance following recent fatalities involving Indian crew members in the Black Sea, India’s <b data-path-to-node="5" data-index-in-node="137" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;">Ministry of External Affairs (MEA)</b> confirmed that the targeted merchant vessel <b data-path-to-node="5" data-index-in-node="216" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;">MV <i data-path-to-node="5" data-index-in-node="219" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;">Golden Leo</i></b> was transporting civilian grain cargo at the time of the missile strike. The official statement firmly reiterated New Delhi’s position that commercial shipping and innocent seafarers must never be targeted in conflict zones.</p><p data-path-to-node="6" id="p-rc_7ce10677bd3c957f-21" style="font-family: &quot;Google Sans Text&quot;, sans-serif !important; line-height: 1.15 !important;"><span data-path-to-node="6,0" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;">The clarification follows a Russian strike off Ukraine’s Port of Odesa on the <i data-path-to-node="6,0" data-index-in-node="78" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;">MV Golden Leo</i>, which resulted in the tragic deaths of four Indian crew members and prompted widespread security advisories across the maritime industry</span><span data-path-to-node="6,1" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><source-footnote _nghost-ng-c318024766="" class="ng-star-inserted" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><sup _ngcontent-ng-c318024766="" class="superscript" style="line-height: 1.15 !important; font-size: 16px !important; background-color: transparent !important;"><!----></sup></source-footnote><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----></span><span data-path-to-node="6,2" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;">.</span><sources-carousel-inline ng-version="0.0.0-PLACEHOLDER" _nghost-ng-c1276579682="" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"> <source-inline-chip _ngcontent-ng-c1276579682="" _nghost-ng-c643572535="" class="ng-star-inserted" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----></source-inline-chip><!----><!----><!----></sources-carousel-inline></p><h3 data-path-to-node="8" style="font-family: &quot;Google Sans&quot;, sans-serif !important; line-height: 1.15 !important;"><b data-path-to-node="8" data-index-in-node="0" style="font-family: &quot;Google Sans Text&quot;, sans-serif !important; line-height: 1.15 !important;">Diplomatic Interventions Demand Safe Passages for Food Grain Corridors</b></h3><p data-path-to-node="9" style="font-family: &quot;Google Sans Text&quot;, sans-serif !important; line-height: 1.15 !important;">The MEA's formal statement underscores growing concern over civilian supply chain disruptions across eastern European trade routes:</p><ul data-path-to-node="10" style="padding-inline-start: 32px; font-family: &quot;Google Sans Text&quot;, sans-serif !important; line-height: 1.15 !important;"><li style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><p data-path-to-node="10,0,0" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><b data-path-to-node="10,0,0" data-index-in-node="0" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;">Official Cargo Verification:</b> Addressing conflicting reports regarding the vessel's manifest, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal confirmed that the Belize-flagged, Indian-crewed <i data-path-to-node="10,0,0" data-index-in-node="175" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;">MV Golden Leo</i> was exclusively carrying non-military agricultural food products (grain) meant for export.</p></li><li style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><p data-path-to-node="10,1,0" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><b data-path-to-node="10,1,0" data-index-in-node="0" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;">Firm Reiteration of Maritime Law:</b> The Government of India emphasized that freedom of navigation must be upheld and that commercial vessels operating in international or neutral transit corridors are protected under international maritime law and humanitarian principles.</p></li><li style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><p data-path-to-node="10,2,0" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><b data-path-to-node="10,2,0" data-index-in-node="0" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;">Consular Assistance &amp; Casualty Repatriation:</b> The MEA, in close coordination with the Indian Embassy in Kyiv and local port authorities, is actively facilitating the repatriation of the deceased Indian crew members' mortal remains and providing emergency assistance to surviving crew members.</p></li><li style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><p data-path-to-node="10,3,0" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><b data-path-to-node="10,3,0" data-index-in-node="0" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;">Strategic Safety Push:</b> The diplomatic briefing aligns with the Directorate General of Shipping’s (DG Shipping) recent high-alert advisory requiring mandatory risk assessments for all vessels operating in or transiting through the Black Sea.</p></li></ul>