Jaishankar Condemns Shipping Attacks and US-Pakistan Ties at G20
External Affairs Minister Subramanyam Jaishankar called for diplomacy and maritime security at the G20 meeting in Atlanta following attacks on Indian seafarers in the Strait of Hormuz.
Indian External Affairs Minister Subramanyam Jaishankar advocated for diplomacy over military solutions during the G20 Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Atlanta. He warned that the Global South is disproportionately bearing the consequences of hostilities in West Asia, which threaten the cost and availability of food, fuel, and fertilizers. Jaishankar called for the cessation of attacks on civilian shipping under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and announced a joint initiative between India and Liberia to safeguard seafarers.
These remarks follow projectile attacks in the Strait of Hormuz on October 29 and 30 targeting the Liberia-flagged MT ARZANAH and the Panama-flagged MT LOUISE 1. The latter was damaged by limpet mines, the first confirmed use of such explosives in the zone since the US-Iran war began in February. Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal confirmed that all 29 Indian crew members across both vessels are safe.
Jaishankar also criticized the United States for its diplomatic engagements with Pakistan's Army Chief Asim Munir, stating that "tactical calculations should not lead to overlooking the dangers of terrorism." He cited Islamabad's role in cross-border terrorism, including the April 2025 Pahalgam attack, and criticized the weaponization of supply chains and export controls that hinder industrialization in developing economies.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who hosted the meeting, described the geopolitical climate as a "moment of choosing" and emphasized that maritime and food security are essential drivers of global economic security.
