Maritime routes must remain safe for seafarers: PM Modi at G7, with Donald Trump by his side

Mangalore Today News Network

New Delhi, Jun 17, 2026: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday stressed the need to ensure the safety of seafarers and secure maritime trade routes while addressing G7 leaders during an outreach session attended by US President Donald Trump and other world leaders.

"Ensuring the safety of seafarers, who connect nations through global maritime trade, is our collective responsibility," Modi said during the session titled "Forging New Partnerships and Rebuilding International Solidarity" held on the sidelines of the G7 Summit at Évian-les-Bains in eastern France.

With Trump seated beside him, Modi underscored the importance of protecting maritime routes. "We must ensure that sea routes remain secure and that seafarers can carry out their duties without fear," he said.

The remarks came amid criticism from opposition parties over the Prime Minister’s perceived silence following the deaths of three Indian mariners in a US Navy strike on the commercial vessel MT Settebello near the Strait of Hormuz earlier this month.

Modi and Trump briefly interacted during the session, with a bilateral meeting between the two leaders expected on Wednesday. It would mark their second meeting since Trump’s return to the White House and their first since their February 13, 2025, talks in Washington.

Last week, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar conveyed India’s strong protest to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio over the deaths of Deck Cadet Aditya Sharma, Engine Fitter Shivanand Chaurasiya and Chief Engineer Patnala Suresh in the attack on MT Settebello. Jaishankar reportedly stated that lethal action against commercial shipping was "not justified."

However, Rubio defended the strikes, stating that violations of the US naval blockade and the illicit transport of Iranian oil would "not be tolerated."

Three commercial vessels — MT Marivex, MT Settebello and MT Jalveer — came under US missile strikes near the Strait of Hormuz last week. While the attack on MT Settebello on June 10 claimed the lives of three Indian seafarers, 21 others were rescued by the Royal Navy of Oman. Indian crew members aboard MT Marivex and MT Jalveer were also rescued safely.

Addressing the broader regional situation, Modi said, "We welcome the progress made in peace efforts in West Asia. The conflict has caused significant loss of life and property in our friendly countries in the region."

He added that disruptions to maritime trade through the Strait of Hormuz had adversely affected the global economy and noted that several Indian civilians had lost their lives in the crisis.

The US Central Command (CENTCOM) maintained that the targeted vessels had violated the American blockade on Iran, alleging attempts to transport Iranian oil.

Concluding his address, Modi highlighted the importance of rebuilding global trust. "Today, the world does not suffer from a shortage of resources; it suffers from a shortage of trust. The future of our partnerships depends on rebuilding this trust," he said, invoking former US President Ronald Reagan’s famous phrase, "Trust, but verify."

"That principle remains relevant today. We owe it to future generations to build a trusted rules-based order suited to the needs of a new era," the Prime Minister added.