New Delhi

India has strongly condemned any attacks on commercial vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz, calling such actions unacceptable and harmful to global trade and navigation.

Speaking at the UN Security Council’s open debate on the Middle East, India’s Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Yojna Patel, said the strait holds critical importance for India’s energy supplies and economic interests. She noted with concern that Indian seafarers had lost their lives during the ongoing conflict.

Patel stressed that international law must be upheld and civilian shipping should never be targeted. She urged the swift restoration of safe and unhindered maritime movement through the Strait of Hormuz, highlighting India’s support for relevant UN resolutions on the issue.

She said recent developments in the Middle East have serious consequences for global peace, trade, energy security, food supply chains, and the wider economy. With nearly 10 million Indians living and working in the Gulf region, India has a direct stake in regional stability, she added.

India reiterated its call for restraint, dialogue, and diplomacy among all parties, while emphasising respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of nations. Patel also expressed concern over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the West Bank, supporting renewed efforts toward a two-state solution.

On Lebanon, India condemned attacks on UN peacekeepers serving with UNIFIL and demanded accountability for those responsible. She also reaffirmed India’s support for a Syrian-led political process in Syria.

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Patel concluded by saying the Middle East should no longer remain a zone of conflict, adding that its people deserve peace, dignity, and hope after decades of unrest.